You Were Right About Me
by Valemel
Summary: Completely misplaced in time twelve-year old Leia is doing her best to survive, while also trying to keep herself from the edge of self-destruction. At such a young age she knows so little, yet at the same time, so much. Like the fact that Jedi Anakin Skywalker would eventually become a Sith called Darth Vader.
1. Chapter 1

Leia stared blankly at the planet coming up ahead then looked down at the control panel of the shuttle she was currently piloting.

She could turn back, yet there was something stopping her.

'_You're so much stronger than I could ever be_.' Rang the words in her mind.

Luke. Her throat tightened as she willed the memories of her lost best friend away. She didn't feel particularly strong at that moment. Hasn't felt that way for a while now. Instead, she felt so very alone in the universe. She had felt that way before, but not after meeting him. And now he was gone, leaving a gaping hole in Leia that was so much more significant than whatever she had thought she had felt before. It sometimes made her wonder how she managed to keep it from swallowing her whole.

The crystal buildings of the Crystal City became clearer as Leia entered the Christophsis planet's atmosphere.

She wondered how Luke would have felt if he had been with her. Probably excited, Leia concluded with a sad smile. Luke had been reckless, always throwing his own welfare out of the window to help others, especially those he cared about. Leia used to always get mad at him because of it and he would always end up saying that Leia was his best friend, like a sister even, so it was his job to protect her; with Leia then snapping at him, that she didn't need protecting.

What she wouldn't give up to have him with her again.

Carefully, Leia landed the shuttle on the landing area in the plaza and turned off the engine. For a moment, she sat there, gathering up her wits. She felt unsure of herself and the choices she had made that led her to this moment. After all, she was in completely unfamiliar territory with no one to turn to. Significantly out of place.

Leia hadn't always been good at blending in when the need arose, she seemed too stubborn and witty to go unnoticed. But she was good at lying and pretending. Qualities that helped her when she had asked for shelter at the Jedi Temple.

Explaining her existence hadn't been the easiest, making them accept her as someone to be trained, even more so. Especially, when there were so many unanswered questions surrounding Leia. But the striking signs marking her arrival in the Force surrounding her couldn't be ignored, so she had used them to her advantage instead. Unintentionally, making them see her as someone holding great importance to the Jedi Order and it's future.

Leia stood up and moved towards the ramp as it slowly lowered down. She slowly inhaled and exhaled, using Luke's taught method to calm herself. She could to this.

Leia stepped out, feeling the cool breeze against her skin as she walked to the two Jedi that were waiting for her, a trooper commander alongside them.

"Youngling." Said the Jedi dressed in light, traditional Jedi clothes with shuffled light brown hair and beard. By the surprised look on his face, Leia concluded that she was not at all what they have been expecting. "Where's the ship? The reinforcements?"

Leia inwardly sighed. Though she had seen Luke's Master only a few times, before he had gotten himself killed, that is. Leia could still easily recognize it was him. Though he looked somewhat younger and perhaps not as depressed.

That meant next to him, must have stood the very person who killed him. Leia glanced up at the darkly dressed Jedi, quickly sizing him up. The possibility of irony.

"There aren't any. Master Yoda couldn't reach you, so he sent me instead." She told them.

"Sent you? But what about the ship?"

"Again, there was never supposed to be one. The one I came with just dropped me off. Master Yoda sent me to tell you that there's an emergency and you are to return to the Jedi Temple immediately." Crisp and clear, just as she liked it.

"Funny, in case you haven't noticed, we're in a bit of an emergency right here," Said her supposed new…' Master', gesturing over his shoulder.

"Yes, I've noticed." She snapped, triggered by her new Master's lack of manners. " But that doesn't change the fact that I was instructed to relay the message. You're welcome, by the way." Leia knew she should feel something. Hatred, or at least anger, aimed at the man before her. If she was right, which she was almost sure she was. It was his fault that Luke was gone and she was here, all alone. But Leia was so used to burying her feelings by now, that she couldn't feel anything more than snippets of dislike.

And maybe that was for the better, Leia thought. She wished that she could say Luke would have approved, but he never liked when she hid her true feelings, even if it was from herself.

"So you're telling me they never got our signal asking for help?" Anakin asked.

Was he draft or something?

"Yes." Seeing the disappointment on both of the Jedi's faces, Leia sighed, "Look, why don't you just try to relay the message trough the cruiser that brought me."

"And who are you?"

She frowned, suddenly annoyed. Of course, it was natural for Anakin to want to know who she was, but she wished the Jedi Council had prepared him better for this, so there was no need for her to go through this awkward explanation.

"I'm the new Padawan learner, Leia."

"Ah, my new apprentice," Obi-Wan said, giving her a polite bow. "Nothing like being throw-in at the deep end."

Leia shook her head, feeling now frustrated herself. She did feel as if thrown into the deep end, but not the way he thought. "No. Sorry, Master Kenobi, but I've actually been assigned to Master Skywalker."

She grimaced at her said new Master's horrified look. She wasn't feeling particularly happy with their current situation herself.

oOo

Leia stood on the abandoned skyscraper, which had been turned into an observation point. Not that she could do much of the observing with her petite height. So instead she gazed upward at the cloudy purple sky, deep in thought.

She wondered how things were going to turn out after this. There was always the possibility of dying, though she doubted Master Yoda would have assigned her here if he wasn't absolutely certain in her new Master's ability to keep her alive. Besides, she knew how to take care of herself. Even at the tender age of twelve she had survived more hardship than most people had in their whole lifetime.

"What are you doing?" Leia almost groaned at the sound of her new Master's voice. Apparently, after the shock of finding out that she was supposed to be his Padawan, he was intent on making things much harder between them than was really necessary.

"Contemplating every possible outcome of the battle." And the possibility of her changing something by being in it. But he didn't need to know that.

"That's not going to help anyone, youngling. This isn't a training exercise."

She knew that. Had even participated in a couple of them at the Jedi Order. Let's just say that her level of performance had been 'beyond her time'.

She gave a half-shrug, "I know that." then lifted her head upwards again, successfully dismissing him.

What annoyed her the most was that he was beginning to get under her nerves.

She felt the clone trooper farther away turn their way. She had been aware of him listening in on their conversation-possibly along with Master Kenobi who sat near the mobile comm station-but hadn't bothered on calling him out on it. Not when her new Master must have been aware of that little detail too.

"I thought you said you'd never have a Padawan, sir…," The clone trooper spoke at last.

"Someone must have fouled up a flimsy." Anakin said, clearly still in denial. "I don't have a Padawan. I can't have a Padawan. There's at least some discussion about this kind of thing." Leia knew that was true. Yet, his whining about her being his Padawan was beginning to annoy her even if she had done the exact same thing once she had found out. However, in her eyes, he was supposed to be the mature one if he were to be her Master.

"Well, maybe they hadn't, because they were sure you would have refused," Leia said turning to look at him. "It's not as if you're are known for your ability to see the bigger picture."

She thought of all the stories she heard of him at the Jedi Temple and over the HoloNet. Leia tried to hold his furious gaze, she really did, but found it impossible once she noticed his eyes were the same color as Luke's. The memory of him sent a pang in her chest.

"Besides, it's rude to talk about someone as if he or she isn't even there." She finished while scowling at the ground. She would not cry.

Feeling a hand on her shoulder. Leia jumped away, making the said hand drop.

"Don't touch me!" She shouted at Anakin. Rage boiled deep inside her, threatening the calm she had grown used to feeling.

She glanced at the trooper who, at some point, had taken his helmet off and now wore a shocked expression due to her outburst.

"Both of you are strangers to me, so excuse me if I might feel like I can't trust you, or your judgment."

Anakin studied her for a moment. "How old are you?"

"I'm twelve."

"So you're barely even old enough to be a Padawan."

"Says who, you?" Leia shook her head. "You've got some nerve to stand there and criticize Master Yoda's decision, when you know nothing about me or where I came from."

"I don't need to." Anakin said," And seeing as I can't ship you back to Coruscant yet, you might as well make yourself useful. Rex, give her an acquaint of the position."

The said trooper, who now had a name, Rex, checked the charge on his rifle on both sidearms, then gestured at the stairs. "Very well sir. Come on, young one."

Leia followed him wordlessly, not even bothering to look back at her new Master. Did he think to get rid of her? Fine, whatever.

"Oh, and Leia, if Captain Rex gives you an order, you take it," Anakin said, though not unkindly.

Swiftly, Leia nodded, it's not like she could object, then followed Rex down the smoke-stained stairwell.

oOo

Leia kept quiet as she walked beside Rex; she didn't see the point in starting a conversation.

She wondered what was Anakin's problem. She knew he didn't want a Padawan, but she also sensed that there was something deeper.

Of course, his problem with her couldn't be anywhere near as justified as hers. And yet, she had turned out to be the one who at least tried to not let it get in the way. Or maybe it was just because she knew Luke wouldn't have liked it to. Innocent until proven guilty, or something like that.

Rex was the one to break the silence.

"You seem like an odd one," Wasn't that an understatement of time. "Especially to unnerve General Skywalker like that."

Skywalker. Leia didn't think she would ever be able to hear that surname without instantly remembering Luke.

"Shouldn't you know? What's bothering him so much, I mean. After all, you've known him longer than I." Leia said, then inwardly frowned. She might not know this version of him, but she thought she had a pretty good idea of his future one. She just wasn't sure which one was true anymore. Darth Vader or the little boy named Ani from Tatooine? How was it possible that they were one and the same?

Was it possible?

Anakin Skywalker was a hero. Darth Vader was a monster.

"I don't think anyone knows General Skywalker well enough," said Rex. Leia wasn't surprised by that. He could seem pretty laid-back on the surface, but Leia couldn't help but sense something deeper lurking in the shadows, she just didn't know how deep they were.

"But we don't let it get in our way. Not when it means life or death."

Leia turned to look at him.

"But isn't that what is expected of you? It's not like you have a choice."

That seemed to be the wrong thing to say.

"You think you've got it all figured out, don't you littl'un? Why don't I explain how things are in the real world?" Rex said, clearly affected by her choice of words. But all Leia could see was the clear denial of the obvious truth. They were soldiers, created in labs nonetheless; she couldn't see how she could possibly be wrong about this.

She looked up at him expectantly, curious at what someone younger than her would think to teach her. He might have looked twice her age, but she was a child that had been ripped from her parent's arms at seven and dragged around the battlefield with no dolls for her to play whit, only the blaster in her hands as the horrors of the galaxy replayed before her eyes. No one had the right to act around her as if she was someone that had been sheltered all her life and didn't know any better; when they had no idea of the horrors that were hidden deep within her memory.

"Are you scared?"

"No."

"Well, you should be. Because if you're not scared in a war, then you haven't grasped the serenity of your situation."

For someone who claimed to know a lot about the Jedi, he sure didn't know the most important. Jedi weren't allowed to feel fear.

He sat down on a chunk of masonry, low enough to be at the eye level with her. Leia noted that it might have been thoughtful of him, but if he believed, that him; towering over her was intimidating to her, he was deeply mistaken.

"Yes, I take orders from General Skywalker. It's called the chain of command, or else we'll be running around like nuna. And you take your orders from him, too, because you're his Padawan. With me so far?"

"Why wouldn't I be?" Again, technically speaking she was older than him. She was not a child to be codled.

"Want to learn the most important things about being a soldier? I mean the things they don't teach you at the Temple." How ignorant of him to assume that she had spent all her life at the Temple when in reality she had barely spent there half a year.

Also, why would he think that being a soldier was of any interest to her?

The Jeid did that too. Make assumptions. They never once asked her if becoming a Jedi was something _she_ wanted.

"Sure." She said simply. She had to admit she was a bit curious, about what he wanted to say that he deemed so important for her to know.

"One, orders. You follow orders. They keep you alive." Leia had never been one to follow orders, not when as a princess-a title she despised-she had the power to be the one to give them. Even when she had been with Luke, they had made their own set of rules, since there was no one left they could trust. And putting their trust in the wrong person had almost gotten them killed on more than one occasion.

"Two, you're part of a team. We look out for our buddies-I cover your back, you cover mine."

Luke had always used to have her back as she his. But that was because they had trusted each other completely. And Leia wasn't one to trust easily.

"And three, an officer's rank doesn't give you automatic respect. You earn it. It's not just Skywalker's rank that makes us give him one hundred percent. It's because he treats us with respect, and he puts himself on the line with us."

Rex paused as if to let everything sink in.

Leia tilted her head thoughtfully. "I can see why you would think that's important for me to know," she began, "But the reason I don't follow orders is that, in my experience, the people who give them never hold my best interest at heart. And while I know what's it like to be a part of a team, I also know what it's like to lose someone from that team. And for respect, it always has to go both ways, but so far Master Skywalker has shown me nothing but the opposite," Leia turned to look at the distance. "And the thing about fear… In my experience, you feel it only when you have something important to lose. And while that had been the case with me not so long ago. After losing everyone, you learn to not let people in easily. What's worse is that even with your guard up someone, in the end, manages to break through, and when you lose him too…" She turned back to see the completely thrown look on Rex's face. "You can't blame a person for not being afraid in a completely unfamiliar place with nothing to lose," she smiled sadly, knowing that he was currently studying the scar on her left cheek and wondering for the first time, just how exactly she had gotten it.

It wasn't something she had gotten from an accident.

"I hope you can understand that," Leia said as she turned away.

She didn't like it when people stared at her scar. It was faint, yes, running smoothly across her cheek, but it was still there. A reminder.

"You're no older than twelve." Said Rex, as if that baffled him.

"And you're no older than ten. Yet, you can't say you don't know what it's like to lose someone. After all, you lose your brothers, not comrades-brothers every day in battle, while I lost mine only once. "

Though with losing Luke, she hadn't only lost him but also lost herself. Because it was true-Luke hadn't been her comrade-he he had been her family.

She still couldn't understand what exactly was it about Luke that made them click so instantly and completely. She had grown to know Luke better than she had herself. He had been her protector, brother, and her best friend all in one. That's why it completely wrecked her when she lost him. And not only that, but only moments later she had found herself in a completely different, yet at the same time familiar, universe, she knew she didn't belong in.

Without him. Without anyone.

When Rex didn't speak for a long time, Leia began to feel awkward. She wasn't one to share information about herself voluntarily, even if she knew it was necessary for people to trust you; and something about Rex told her he wasn't one to blab the things she told him to the next person he met. However, she felt like she had said too much, revealed too much, thus she was beginning to regret it. It made her feel exposed and it was not a feeling she enjoyed.

"Don't linger on what I said too much, I just hope we can have an understanding."

Rex cleared his throat, "Sure thing, kid." He said roughly.

When he didn't move Leia raised an eyebrow.

"Right. Come on, let's walk the perimeter," Rex said, standing up and beckoning her to follow. She almost sighed in relief.

"At least we don't have to worry about civilians," Rex spoke, clearly intent on clearing the unease that still surrounded them both by changing the subject. "That's the worst thing when you're fighting in an urban area-the risk of civvy casualties. That limits our track. The tinnies don't have any feelings about killing noncombatants, of course, and they keep shelling, so we're handicapped by our rules of engagement."

Leia nodded. She was glad to hear that. What had made her most apprehensive about the rebels had been their extreme methods, which often risked putting innocent civilian lives at risk. She knew they couldn't help it, but it was still something she liked to see being avoided.

Rex suddenly stopped. Leia looked around, confused before she noticed it too.

There was as a huge orange ball of some kind, like a shield you could barely make out in the far distance. Translucent and glowing slightly it was slowly moving and swallowing buildings on the far edge of the city.

"That can't be good," Leia said, unconsciously voicing her thought out loud.

"That's going to make things damned near impossible," Rex said.

Leia glanced at him, then back at the rapidly expanding thingy.

"What is it?" She was sure she had never seen anything like it.

"It's an energy field," Rex explained. Leia turned to look at him to only see him staring back at the way of what she knew was the battalion's makeshift operating base. "There goes our edge. Cannon won't penetrate that. And we don't have the numbers to draw the droids pinned down." Okay, Leia had to admit that sounded bad. "Come on, back to base."

"You must have a plan."

"We've always got a plan. And another… and another. Just have to keep trying until we find one that works, and hope we don't die before that."

Leia had to break into a run, just to keep up with Rex, as was his intent to get back to the base as quickly as possible. Leia hated her small height and the short legs that came with it. So inconvenient.

"I hope you're right about knowing how to handle yourself littl'un," said Rex.

"Well I'm long used to things trying to blast me, so maybe this is not that different."

Leia wanted to feel as confident as she sounded, but found that she couldn't. Not when, for the first time, she was completely alone.

oOo

Upon seeing the holochart of Crystal City, the enemy's strategy became painfully clear to Leia. She stared at the moving points of light that marked the droid troops. They were advancing behind the leading edge of the energy shield, moving back to the center of the city. The worst was, that one column was heading straight for the artillery position in the square.

Leia didn't particularly like their current odds and her first instinct was to mentally reach out to Luke for his opinion. Only, to once again remember that Luke wasn't with her anymore.

It was almost funny how even after months, she still couldn't get used to his absence.

_Luke is dead Leia, you have to finally realize, he's not coming back. _

"It's hard to pinpoint the field generator precisely, but it's got to be in this area somewhere. The field's elliptical, which means it's probably within this radius," Obi-Wan Kenobi said. He prodded his forefinger into the meshwork of light and made a loop to indicate the range of the position. "Cannon's not going to make a dent in that, so I say we save our ordnance for later. In the meantime, all we can do is try to engage them in confined spaces."

That was the plan? Leia thought while hanging on Obi-Wan's every word. That can't be the plan, she decided.

"We'll draw them into the buildings," Rex said. Okay, Leia seriously needed to get a hold of herself and stop being unreasonable. Luke might not be with her, yes. But she was sure that these people were more than capable of forming a better plan than an eleven-year-old boy. "They've got to find us to fight us. They can't fire their own cannons from inside the shield, so let's make their defenses work against them."

Still, it was a stupid plan, which made her wonder what Luke would do.

The answer came quicker than it usually did.

He would probably try to sneak in and destroy the shield's generator, she concluded wistfully.

"What are you smiling at?"

Leia almost jumped at Anakin's voice. What was his problem again? And was she smiling? Yes, she was, she realized.

Leia scowled at him. "I was thinking that it would be smarter to just take out the shield."

"And how do you propose we do that?"

"Well, by destroying the generator of course."

"Suicide mission," Rex said before Anakin could scoff at her. "Not that I couldn't get plenty of volunteers from the ranks, but we'd probably waste a lot of men getting nowhere, and at least we know we stand a chance if we can pin down the tinnitus inside buildings. They're not good at fighting house-to-house."

"I could do it." Leia volunteered while studying the holochart. If she had been with Luke she would have done it without a single thought. But without him, she felt helpless. Which had to stop.

Besides, she knew how to be sneaky.

Leia felt Rex's gaze on her before he spoke. "You don't have to prove anything, little'un."

"No. I can do it," She insisted with more certainty. "I just need to pass by the enemy undetected. No more difficult than the usual." Sadly, she sounded more sure than she felt.

"Very well, Anakin, take Leia and penetrate Sep lines," said Obi-Wan. Leia almost heaved in displeasure. She knew Anakin was supposed to be her Master and all, but why did she have to go with him, if he had made it clear that he had no intention of accepting her as his Padawan?

Obi-Wan stabbed his finger into the holochart again. "Rex and I can stage a diversion here, and that should make it easier for you to slip through."

"We'll need to defend the artillery position, sir," Rex said. "But if we can't draw them into the buildings, they'll just roll right down the street into the square and take out our arty pieces, and there'll be very little we can do about it. And then it'll be ended for all of us."

Leia continued to stare at the holochart, trying to think of a way to actually pull this off when she felt Anakin move. She lifted her head to see Rex follow Anakin out of earshot.

Leia grimaced inwardly. She hoped she was right and Rex wouldn't mention anything they had talked about to Anakin. It was mortifying enough that she had revealed such a huge chunk of herself to him, of all people. Leia never justified herself to anyone, but Rex had caught her in a moment where her walls had been crumbling for a bit. This whole past half-year she had felt as if she was on hyperdrive. And finding out, that Luke's father was chosen as her Master had been just the starfruit on top.

Leia scowled at the holochart. This is ridiculous. What made her think all of this was a good idea? After all, she absolutely loathed the monster he had a chance of becoming. And yet, here she was.

Leia felt Anakin behind her but swiftly moved away before his hand could come down to rest on her shoulder. The nerfherder knew no boundaries.

"If we survive this, Princess, you and I are going to have a long talk."

"Princess?" Leia said bewildered.

"That's what you get for acting entitled."

Leia gritted her teeth. Entitled? Her? When he was the sole suspect of ending up as someone who claimed to be the father of a boy he harassed, just because he didn't share the same beliefs as him?

Oh please.

"Got it, Master. Let's go."

As if someone as cocky as the person before her could ever become someone like Vader.

oOo

Leia followed Anakin trough the abandoned city towards the advancing edge of the shield in silence. The farther they walked, the more agitated Leia became. They diverted into another tower and climbed to the twentieth floor since the power was out and that meant no turbolifts. By the time they made it to the top Leia felt exhausted and ready to snap at anyone, especially him.

Leia scanned the city, but couldn't see more than the usual, since Anakin brought only one pair of microbinoculars.

"Well?" She urged him impatiently.

"I thought you were the one with the plan..."

Leia scowled at him. "Oh please, you knew this was better than nothing, otherwise you wouldn't have come."

"Aren't you a smart one."

Leia rolled her eyes.

After awhile Anakin sighed in resignation. "Okay, we have to penetrate the shield, and then the line of tanks. Double barrier."

"And how exactly you propose we do that?"

Seemingly irritated Anakin whirled at her, "Weren't you the one with all the answers?"

"Me? You're supposed to be the Master, remember?"

"I don't have time for a spoiled little brat!"

"Who are you calling spoiled, you twisted murderer!" Anakin stilled.

Okay, that was not what Leia meant to say.

"Sorry, Master, I don't know why I said that." Stupid, stupid, stupid. She could not believe she actually said that. What next, she was going to accuse him of being a Sith? That certainly would't raise any alarms.

When Anakin didn't say anything Leia became uneasy.

"Master?" She asked uncertainly. He was unnaturally still and the look on his face made Leia chill to the bones.

"Master, you're scaring me." That seemed to snap him out. Still, the coldness in his gaze as he looked at her made Leia shudder.

Desperately wanting the old Anakin back, she decided a distraction was worth a shot. She looked back at the still expanding shield.

"How about we go trough the middle?" She said, it being the first think that came to mind.

Thankfully, Anakin took the bait, but the slight edge in his expression remained.

"So you think you can pass yourself as a droid now? Just stroll in, say 'Copy copy,' and hope they don't notice?"

"Well, no." Said Leia watching her Master warily. Could it be that… No. There was no reason to jump to conclusions without any proof.

After awhile, his face cleared as he seemed to realize something. "You just have to turn the problem upside down," He looked at Leia and she was glad, that his gaze didn't hold the same hostility it had before. "If we can't cross their lines, we let their lines cross over us."

oOo

"This is stupid." Leia remarked for what felt like the tenth time.

They were currently under a piece of debris, crawling slowly and then, at Anakin's command, stopping again. Orienting under it was almost impossible, so Leia didn't have the patience to bother anymore. All she saw when peeking from under it was rubble anyway.

"Yet effective since the shield just past us."

"That might be true, but it's still stupid." And uncomfortable. Leia's neck was aching and catching a breath while being weighed down by that thing seemed harder than one would think.

Anakin ignored her, which agitated Leia even more.

"Okay…ready, Leia? In three…two…go."

Leia almost groaned but did as told. They edged a few meters forward and then stopped again.

"Do we really still need this thing? I mean, we already passed the shield, so let's just locate the generator."

"No, Leia wait..." But she didn't listen, already moving her legs in standing position. Anakin had no choice but to stand with her. However, because of her much shorten height, he had to crouch almost the whole way.

"Okay that feels much better." Her legs felt as if they haven't been used to walk for some time.

"Just be careful."

Leia was just about to reply that she was always careful when they hit something. The conduit tipped and they fell over. Leia's field of vision now included a droid of some kind. Who, she maid add, was pointing his two laser cannons straight at them. Great.

"It's a droideka!" Yelled Anakin, forcefully pulling her to her feet. "Run!" He drew his lightsaber and flicked the blue blade into life.

How come everyone thought, they could just boss her around?

Instead of doing as Anakin had ordered, Leia pulled her own lightsaber and lit it up.

"I thought Jedi didn't run!" Leia objected, getting into position with her own illuminated blue lightsaber.

She was never going to run again.

The droideka scuttled back a couple of meters on its metallic crab legs, it's cannons clicking into position.

"No, you run!" Anakin barked, grabbing her by her elbow and pulling her along as he sprinted. She had no other choice, but to follow as the droideka opened fire. "Zigzag-don't let it lock on. Run!"

The pressure was making her want to snap at him so badly, but she decided she was better on following his orders. At least for now.

They dodged and jinked, leaping into the air while also spinning around to deflect cannon fire with their lightsabers. Which meant, that the droideka couldn't get a lock.

They were out of its effective range when it coiled to pursue them, rolling after them like a ball. Anakin gestured widely at Leia.

"Stop dead when I say," he yelled. "'Saber ready."

Even if that made no sense, whatsoever to Leia, she decided not to argue for once and do as she was told. He seemed to have a better experience whit these things anyway.

They ran as hard as they could, Leia trying desperately to keep up with him. "In three…two…stop!"

Leia did as he said, skidding to a halt as the droid rolled between her and Anakin for one critical fraction of a second too long. They both slashed it to pieces with their lightsabers before it had the chance to unroll and deploy again.

Anakin stared at her for a moment and Leia stared right back at him, not willing to be the one to drop her gaze, while at the same time, trying to control her erratic breathing.

"Now you understand why you have to follow orders. Think twice and you'll be dead."

Leia scowled at him. "I think I handled myself just fine. It's just your way of communicating I have a problem with."

"Well then, it will just be something you'll have to get over, won't you?"

"Me? You're the one who's constantly on my case for no apparent reason."

"That's because I don't trust you not do something stupid, that could jeopardize the whole mission. And so far I seem to be right."

Leia narrowed her eyes.

"Oh yeah? Well, guess what, I don't trust you either." With that, she turned away and headed in the direction of the generator. Not caring, if Anakin came after her or not.

The thing was, it was not Anakin she was currently mad at, but herself. Leia never used to have a problem with running. Not when it meant surviving. It was Luke who had no flight instinct, making Leia the more rational one of the two. Which also meant, it was her job to keep track of Luke and make him listen whenever the situation at hand was pointless.

But the day she lost him, she had been so scared of getting caught. So when Luke urged her to run while he stayed to fight as a distraction, she did.

She was always gonna regret that most. Leaving Luke, when she should have stood by his side and faced the threat–together.

"And there it is." Drawled Anakin leading the way once again.

Leia could see it too. Across an expanse of open ground, a temporary building - an assembly of some kind stood conspicuously new and unweathered. As they edged closer, Leia felt the energy shield stronger.

"I'd have thought they'd hide it, but maybe they're getting lazy or-,"

"Or it's a trap," Leia guessed. She sized the generator up and down and then glanced at the space surrounding it suspiciously. "It's too easy."

"I believe you might be right," Anakin agreed, which surprised Leia.

Anakin snorted at her disbelieving look, then motioned at the ground. "You can see small projections, just visible above the soil-antennae if you concentrate hard enough."

Anakin was right, she could see them.

Okay, so all she had to do then, was move through the field without setting any of them off. Easy.

"Where are you going? Wait!"

"There's no time!" Leia shouted while concentrating on a small piece of land and jumping onto it. When nothing happened she then picking another at least a few feet away and swiftly moved again.

"Be careful!" Anakin warned, moving after her. Leia ignored him, focusing instead on the task at hand. It was good that she was perfect at keeping her balance while also being able to move quickly, but discreetly.

Leia let out a relieved breath when she reached the generator.

"Stay there, I'll set the charges!"

She crouched down and pulled one of the many demolition charges, she had carried all the way, from her pocket. After successfully attaching one, and then a couple more on the flat surface, just to be sure, she stood up. A faint beep-beep-beep carried on the air with the mesh of lights blinking in synchrony.

"Done!" She shouted, feeling great satisfaction.

"You're not supposed to gloat until you've made it back safely with your head still attached!"

"Alright, alright," Leia said, rolling her eyes while moving back, toward Anakin.

She couldn't understand why he wouldn't just admit that-

She stumbled, then froze in place.

"Uh, Master?"

"Stand still!" he instructed. Yeah, like she didn't know that already. "Don't move. Stay right where you are…I'm coming…stand absolutely still, youngling…"

"Stop telling me what I already know!" Leia snapped. She was nervous enough herself without him making it worse.

"I said stand still!"

But she lost her balance.

Leia fell back and landed right on top of one of the antennae. She didn't even have time to brace herself for an explosion and… nothing happened. Leia frowned in confusion, but then she felt it; the ground shivered. Then-like massive seeds erupting trough the soils-orange droids of some kind pushed up to the surface and shook off the dirt.

Leia cursed. There were dozens of them.

"Droids!" Anakin called. "Leia, they're serenity droids!" Yeah, Leia wasn't sure what he wanted her to do with that knowledge.

"So?" She ignited her lightsaber and sliced the head off of one of the droids, then ducked as she moved to the second one.

"So you should be glad, that it hadn't caused a detonation, or else you would have been dead!"

Well, Leia didn't exactly need a reminder of how many times she had evaded death by now.

Leia battled the droids furiously while doing her best to lure them after her as she moved backward, which drew them farther away from the other anteannea-she didn't want to risk more of them popping from the ground.

Leia ducked, cutting the last one into pieces, Leia glanced at Anakin to see, he too, got rid of the last of the serenity droids.

He looked at her, scowling as if it was all her fault somehow.

"Would you stop doing that! I already know you don't want me as your Padawan, so you don't need to blame me for every little thing that happens, just to justify your decision!"

"That's not what I'm doing!"

"Oh really? Well, it certainly feels that way." Leia said, turning away and marching off. Getting some distance not only between herself and the generator, but Anakin included.

"Where are you going?"

"I need to put some distance before I can detonate the charges. Wasn't it you who said that I have to make it with my head still attached? Not that it would matter where you're concerned." She couldn't stop the hurt and disappointment from seeping into her voice. She cursed herself, not understanding why she felt that way.

"Leia…," started Anakin, trailing after her.

She whirled on him.

"What? You're going to say that I'm too young? Too inexperienced? Or is it that I don't follow orders? Whatever it is, keep it to yourself until we get back to the Temple. I'm sure the council will love to hear all about it, but I don't have to."

Leia pulled the detonator she carried, out of her pocket and pressed on it.

An explosion sounded in the distance, that she paid no mind to, making the shield successfully disappear. Instead of cheering, Leia found herself once again disappointed. Because on top of that, what she found most annoying, was that she had momentarily managed to kid herself into believing this could actually work. That she could, somehow find a middle ground with Anakin as her Master and give him the benefit of the doubt Luke would have wanted to give. To be able to stay close to Luke at least in this way, because she wasn't sure how else she could keep herself grounded in this new reality.

Leia slumped on the nearby rock, hugging her knees to her chest, as she looked up at the sky, desperately trying to keep the tears at bay.

She felt Anakin sit down beside her, which only made her mood worsen.

"I'm sorry," said Anakin, momentarily surprising Leia, but then her skepticism returned.

"Are you? I mean, what should you feel sorry for?" Anakin didn't know her. Not that he had a chance of ever really knowing her, even if he wanted to. She's made her choice and she was going to stick with it.

"I'm sorry for not being able to be what you need me to be."

Leia scoffed, "And who would that be?" How could he claim to know, if Leia wasn't sure herself?

"That's just it, you don't know. Just like you don't know me."

"Yet I feel like I should," she heard Anakin murmur softly, more to himself than anyone else.

Leia turned to look at him in confusion, but he wasn't looking at her. Instead, he was staring up at the shuttle which was softly approaching them.

"Come on." He said, standing up.

oOo

Back at the hanger deck, in the Jedi cruiser, Leia stood in front of a group of clone troopers as she retold the whole ordeal. They sat on the ammo crates, helmets stacked on the deck, giving her their full attention. But Leia knew what they were doing, having spent enough time with the rebels after a battle. Or at least those, who had survived. Still, she couldn't help but retell the story, relaying in great detail all of Anakin's great 'teachings'. She might have made a few things up along the way for her own amusement, but he deserved it after the way he acted.

Leia sensed the moment Anakin came up behind her. The clone troopers standing to attention. Having finished the story anyway, she turned.

"Humility is a requirement for a Jedi," Anakin said soberly.

"Then I'll just have to write it down with the other qualities my new Master doesn't seem to possess and won't be able to teach me by his own example," She answered cheekily. Muffled chuckles could be heard among the troopers as they tried not to laugh. Anakin did not seem all that amused and scowled at the few who were dumb enough to.

Rex slapped his gloves together with a loud clap that almost made her flinch.

"Come on, you lot," he barked at the troopers. "You haven't got time to warm those crates with your backsides. What are you trying to do, hatch something? Get back to work." They scattered.

Leia wondered what he meant by 'work', it's not like they had any enemies nearby at this particular moment.

"Don't they ever get any time off?" There had always been a celebration of some kind after a successful battle at the Rebel Alliance's base. Or at least, some time to grieve the ones that were lost. And she knew, there had been some losses amongst the troopers today, having felt their grief through the Force.

"They're soldiers," Anakin said. "It's the job."

"Isn't it your job too? Aren't you hurt all the time just like they are?"

"You're right, Padawan," Anakin said. "We all handle our loss in our own way. Thank you for thinking of the men's welfare." Leia heard it for what it was-a closure on the topic that wasn't to be discussed further.

Anakin was directly facing her and she took the opportunity to study him further. He looked a lot like Luke, with only a few differences here and there. But what she found most interesting was the pain in his eyes, the pain he was trying to hide, but Leia could still see. Leia wondered briefly if it was that pain that made him turn to the dark side.

_Could have made him turn to the dark side, Leia._ Could_. There is no reason to believe what Vader said is true, don't forget that._

Anakin looked away and Leia followed his gaze to see Obi-Wan walking slowly towards them while deep in conversation with Master Yoda.

Anakin moved toward them and Leia followed him, meeting them halfway.

"Master Obi-Wan," Anakin said, bowing. "Master Yoda."

Yoda gave a brief smile and a nod to Leia as she bowed too, then fixed Anakin with a critical stare. "Trouble you have with your new Padawan, I hear."

"I was explaining the situation to Master Yoda," said Obi-Wan, then turned to stare at Leia weirdly. Leia guessed that Yoda had brought him up to date whit her 'peculiar' situation. It's not like Master Kenobi hadn't known. The whole Council did. But she doubted he had made the connection until now.

"If not ready for the responsibility of a Padawan you are, especially one like Leia, then perhaps to Obi-Wan she should go…" Leia knew what he was doing, long used to psychological games by now. She knew there was next to no possibility that Obi-Wan would train her either, not when Mace Windu had expressed great interest in being the one to train her from the very beginning.

"There are no problems, Master, " said Anakin calmly, completely confounding Leia. "Who could possibly make such a far-fetching judgment about a youngling's future in such a short time, anyway? That would be rash. Unfair, even. It's our duty to nurture talent and support it."

Leia's eyebrows rose in surprise. She knew he wasn't talking about her. Clearly, there were some unresolved issues between Master Yoda and Anakin.

If Master Yoda felt the barbs in Anakin's comment, he didn't show it. "Mature, your judgment is becoming. Certainly teach you, she will, as much as you teach her."

"I shall do my utmost, Master."

Yoda briefly looked at Leia and she understood the unvoiced question. She nodded, confirming her choice to stay with Anakin.

Seemingly satisfied, Yoda turned to look at Anakin again. "Then go with you she will, to the Teth system."

"Has fighting spread that far? I didn't think the Separatists army had any presence there."

Leia had a bad feeling about this.

"No army. But kidnapped, Jabba the Hutt's son has been." And here it was.

The galaxy seemed intent on playing cruel jokes on her.

Anakin didn't seem particularly happy either. "You want me to rescue a Hutt?"

Momentarily forgetting her own displeasure Leia glanced at Anakin, curious by his reaction, having detected something like disgust in his voice. Had he known Jabba too? Or was it just the Hutts in general, he seemed to have a problem with.

Obi-Wan dived in immediately. "We need Jabba's backing to fight this war, Anakin. If we can't use Hutt-controlled routes, we can't fight in the Outer Rim. It's that simple. I'm going to negotiate with Jabba while you retrieve the hostage."

"Hostage…"

"His baby son. Rotta."

Jabba had a son?!

Well, that was a huge surprise to Leia. She wondered how he had felt in the future, once he had found out his father was dead. And killed by an eleven-year-old, nonetheless.

The haunting memories that tried to push their way to the surface, brought a new feeling of dread in Leia, as she hastily pushed them back down. She was glad that there was enough tension between the group for her own feelings on the matter to go unnoticed.

Leia took a few steps back, coming to stand beside Rex, who had followed discreetly.

"Why don't I get the troops organized," she offered, hoping for an escape, as a way to hide her own perplexing emotions on the matter. "Ready when you are, Master." Remembering to bow she did so by a whisker and walked away, but not before hearing Obi-Wan's reply;

"I'd better get under way," he said. "Mustn't keep Jabba waiting."

Leia was glad she wasn't the one going with Obi-Wan. She didn't exactly look forward to coming back to Tatooine. Not if she could help it.

oOo

It took a while for Leia to find Anakin again.

She had decided to check the machinery space of the docking bay lor, once she had tried everywhere else, having thought that it would be one of the places Luke would have gone to hide, so it was worth a shot. She found she had been right when she swung the hatch open to only find Anakin inside.

"Do you know how long it took me to find you?" She asked accusingly. She hated the reminder of just how similar Luke and Anakin seemed to be. "Stop brooding, because we're ready to go."

"Have you heard of knocking?" Anakin snapped, before visibly calming himself. "I'm just thinking, that's all."

Leia rolled her eyes. "You mean moping? You're not the only one bothered by helping Jabba, you know. And I don't mean only me, everyone else is too."

She didn't tell him that it was futile anyway. Even if they were successful, in the end, the war was still going to be lost.

Anakin seemed too lost in his own head to answer her, so Leia just sighed.

She watched him warily, wondering what exactly was it about Jabba that made Anakin so… Distrustful? Angry? It was hard to tell exactly.

"It's got to be done," Anakin said at last. "I don't feel anything about it. Only think how we're going to do it."

Sure he was. Leia frowned. She wondered who he was trying to lie to; her, or himself.

"Let's go," he said.

Maybe it was both.

oOo

****Edited****

**Please Review! **


	2. Chapter 2

Leia was sitting in the bay of the republic gunship, her back against the bulkhead, as she watched Anakin converse with the blue hologram of Obi-Wan.

"One day to find the kid and get him back home," said Anakin at last.

"That's right, Anakin."

"We'll do it, Master."

Someone was way too confident for Leia's liking. No one just stole a Hutt's baby for no reason, it was the same as a death warrant. Which meant it was most likely a trap.

"You just sweet-talk Jabba. I think you have the harder duty…" Anakin drawled in his signature half-serious and half-playful manner.

"We really don't know who's holding his son. I'm uneasy, to say the least. Whoever it is managed to kill a complete team of bounty hunters. That's not your average criminal scum."

Leia wanted to interrupt and say that no bounty hunter would be dumb enough, but was sure Anakin wouldn't have appreciated the unnecessary intrusion from her part.

"And we're not the average hostage-extraction team," said Anakin.

"I'll rendezvous with you as soon as I've concluded negotiations." Obi-Wan promised.

"Don't worry about us, Master."

The hologram vanished and Anakin turned to Leia and the rest of the team. "This won't be an unopposed insertion, but then I think we expected that. Everyone ready?"

"Ready, sir." Rang the trooper squad's answers.

Wow, they could really war cry in sync. She wondered how long it took for them to master that, or was it like second-nature. After all, they were clones; each one of them the exact replica of one another.

At Anakin's pointed look Leia barely refrained from dropping a witty remark.

"Ready, Master," she said instead.

The lead gunship streaked low over an ocean, three or four meters above the waves, as Leia looked down trough an open hatch. It made her miss the ocean and remember the fact that she still didn't know how to swim.

Leia glanced away. Behind, more gunships flew line astern. She was glad they seemed alone on the remote planet for the time being, until they reached the coast, that is. Then, they would possibly encounter resistance.

She took a deep breath, smelling the dense jungle, marveling in the peace that would soon be spoiled.

"Buckets on," Rex instructed, and snapped his hamlet into place.

Leia watched as the squad followed suit. Then all of them went through with checking charge levels on their rifles and sidearms, tugging at carabiners in their rappel kit, and flexing their hands. Melancholy thoughts clouded Leia as she watched them. This was the war. The war before the Empire. The war that would eventually be lost in a way no one had foreseen. She was sick of it all. Even by coming here she somehow seemed unable to escape. The battles, the worry. Was it just the way of the galaxy? To always fight; and for what?

The audio system in the crew bay crackled into life, snapping Leia out of her thoughts. "Sir, estimated time on target-five standard minutes. Better assume they've seen us. I'm sealing the blast hatches now."

"Copy that, Hawk," said Anakin.

The crew bay dimmed and the sunlight was replaced by red emergency illumination.

It reminded her of another place, another time, in another galaxy.

"You okay, Leia?" She heard Anakin ask.

"Fine." She lied because she was not fine.

Even with the hatches sealed, Leia could hear the stuttering sounds of laser cannons. Her breathing quickened. Her consciousness going back to another site, buried deep down in Leia's memory.

This time she was not quick enough to push them back down.

"Taking fire, sir," Hawk said, "I'll drop below their range, but stand by for a bumpy ride when we hit the forest."

"Thirty seconds," Rex said quietly.

Arms grabbed her gently as someone crouched down in front of her. "Leia, calm down," Anakin said.

Leia wasn't sure what he meant, she was calm.

But she wasn't. Words failed her as she once again tried to tell him she was fine. Her breathing was becoming erratic as she fought the memories, replying in her head.

"Leia, listen to me," urged Anakin.

Leia tried, she really did, but all she could hear were sounds of blaster guns and the shouts and that awful heavy breathing. He was coming for her.

The gunship shook as it took a direct hit, but the armor planting held witch seemed to pull Leia slightly out of her daze and she looked around, disoriented and afraid.

A hand grabbed her face, forcing her to look into a pair of ocean blue eyes. She once knew another pair of eyes just like those.

"Breath after me," Anakin instructed.

Anakin took a deep breath and Leia did the same. When he let it out, she followed suit.

"Good girl." He praised softly, but Leia didn't seem to hear him.

"Did you kill them?" Leia whispered, loud enough for only Anakin to hear. He froze in shock.

"What?"

The jump lights showed green and the hatches lifted. Moist, hot, tree-scented air flooded into the crew bay, which forced Leia back into the current reality. She took comfort in the smell as she tried to pull herself together.

"Go!" Rex said, slapping the first troopers in the line on the shoulder. "Go, go, go!"

Leia watched as the white outline of a trooper vanished into the sea of glossy green branches.

"Leia?"

She turned back to see Anakin standing tall, his face twisted with uncertainty, clearly waiting for an explanation.

Leia did the only thing she could at that moment, she turned away and jumped, her lightsaber in hand.

Then ran.

oOo

Leia darted through the branches, her small height making it easy to maneuver between them. Once she was in the clear of the jungle, she looked up at the high edge of the cliff, which most of the blast were coming from. An explosion came her way and Leia instinctively reached trough the Force and brought up a Force barrier around her. It was one of the few powers she had fully mastered before coming to the Jedi Temple.

"Leia!" She heard Anakin shout, close on her tail.

"I'll be fine, just focus on the task at hand!"

She didn't want to worry him, and she meant it when she said she would be fine. She had survived worse than this.

Not wanting to wait around for him, so he could just order her to stay by his side again. She ignited her lightsaber and charged forward, deflecting the blasts raining her way.

"What are you doing here kid? Where's General Skywalker?" Rex asked. A burst of laser fire crashed through the tree canopy, bringing down branches and vines.

Leia shrugged innocently, "He told me to go ahead."

"Uh-huh," Rex said, clearly not believing her.

Leia once again looked up at the sheer cliff that was covered in fleshy vines. It would not be easy to reach the top of that thing.

Leia looked back as she heard the grinding sounds of an armored vehicle as it picked its way between the trees on sturdy mechanical legs. Anakin came jogging ahead of it, gesturing for it to stand clear. The machine slowed to a halt, and it's cannons elevated.

Anakin was looking her way and he did not seem happy.

"Here's our covering fire," said Rex. "And try to stick close to General Skywalker this time."

Why did everyone keep saying that? Leia was not helpless.

She saw Anakin making his way toward her. Oh, boy.

"Disappear like that again and you're going to find yourself back at the Temple. _Indefinitely_." The words were said in an angry, but controlled manner, that left no place for arguing. Leia almost took a step back but stopped herself at the last moment.

She hadn't seen him this mad before. And it wasn't the raging mad either, but the calm one, which Leia came to learn was much worse.

"Yes, Master," Leia said, unconsciously dropping her gaze to look at the ground.

Something heavy came crashing down through the branches overhead, dislodging chunks of stone and wine.

Leia would have ducked instinctively if Anakin hadn't forcefully pulled her backward, shielding her smaller body with his.

Leia forcefully freed herself, jumping back, and glared at him, but he wasn't looking at her.

It wasn't an explosive of some kind, that had hit the ground with a crash, but a battle droid commander.

"Did that piece of junk just fell from the top of that cliff?" Leia asked bewildered.

It wasn't armed and Rex had put a burst of fire though it's head the moment it had landed.

Rex ran a hand sensor over it. "They don't bounce much, do they?" He asked no one in particular.

He then looked up the cliff wall, finally glancing back at Anakin.

"Ready when you are, sir."

Anakin pulled Leia back as she tried to take a closer look at the droid.

"Hey!" She shouted, pulling her arm free, as she glowered at him.

"Don't do anything stupid and stay close to me." He said with a distracted look on his face. Leia knew that look. It was similar to the 'don't interrupt me I'm readying myself for battle' kind of look some of the rebel fighters had worn before an attack of some kind. Though Anakin seemed to take it to a whole new level.

"Fine." Leia agreed begrudgingly, still scowling. Though she doubted he really heard her. He seemed in some kind of trance, which probably meant he was using some weird Jedi mojo too.

"A-tee," Anakin spoke, "return fire."

He started climbing the vine.

Leia sighed, then followed suit, close on his heels.

The armored walkers, tanks in heavy jointed legs were built for horizontal terrain and turned to be perfect for moving up while wheezing, thundering, and firing as they went to scale the cliff face.

They could climb, but Leia knew enough about machinery from Luke to know it limited their effectiveness, which in turn, made them vulnerable.

Leia shook her head as she tried to concentrate by pushing all of her worries aside.

Her biggest advantage used to be that she was a kid. Everyone always underestimated a child, seeing it as someone much weaker and inexperienced. But with droids it was different. They were programmed to see pretty much every life-form as a threat, no matter how big or small. Which made Leia's chances of survival slimmer than what she was used to.

Leia eyed the AT-TE, or whatever they called it, just slightly at the right, below her. Quickly calculating the distance and what would be the easiest and quickest way to the top of the cliff, Leia made her decision and jumped. She landed on top of the machinery. Keeping herself firmly planted on it she faced the threat ahead.

Leia deflected the blasts with her lightsaber and even had to pull a Force shield once a bunch of STAP fighters-that were heading directly for her-fire came a bit too close for her liking.

Plummeting down a cliff face now infested with spider droids, her new Master landed briefly on the AT-TE she was on, narrowly missing her, and launched himself at the first STAP fighter in the formation. He then proceeded to jump from one to another, destroying the piloting droids with swift movements of his lightsaber.

Leia rolled her eyes. Show-off.

By the time Leia made it to the top, most of the droids were destroyed by her Master, except for the three destroyer droids in front of him.

Leia ducked in front of the control window of the AT-Te she was binging a ride from with the troopers inside.

"Fire!" She urged him.

Scrambling back on top of the armored walker, just as she had felt the cannon going off, she jumped down.

Leia stared at all three droid's scattered pieces.

"Huh." The cannon worked batter than she thought.

"You seem surprised," Anakin noted, studying her expression closely.

Leia shrugged.

"Just not used to fighting against so many droids." Stormtroopers or even bounty hunters were more of her specialty. But fighting against droids had its advantages too. At least this way she couldn't be led down a guilty trip for killing a living creature.

She saw Anakin's confusion and thought that maybe it hadn't been the smartest thing to say.

Rex jogged over to them, lifting off his hamlet.

Leia figured the situation was under control enough for him to do that. She couldn't sense any immediate danger either.

"Fifteen wounded, sir." He wiped the palm of his gauntlet across his shaven head, looking odd because while his face was flushed and he was breathing harder than usual, his eyes looked distant and anguished. "I've called in one larty to casevac the injured. I didn't wait for your orders, sir…"

"Fine by me, Rex. I don't want to spend one more life on this Hutt than I have to."

Leia couldn't really blame him, but it was still weird to actually hear him say that. As far as Leia was aware, it was unlike the Jedi to hold one's life above the other. Or at least, that's what her time at the Jedi Temple had taught her.

"Judging by the number of droids, I'd say this is an official Separatist operation, not a spot of freelance hobby extortion," Anakin said.

"Agreed. It's got Dooku's fingerprint's all over it, sir. Explains the dead bounty hunters, too." Rex agreed.

Here was that name again. Leia had heard about him a little bit at the Temple. Apparently, he used to be a Jedi Master before he fell to the Dark Side; and now led the Separatists against the Republic.

"But wouldn't that mean it was too easy?" Leia wondered out loud.

The funny thing was; she had never heard of him before she had come here, but that seemed to be the case with most of the important humanoids and events here. The Empire was an expert at erasing history and passing off lies as the truth.

"You call losing half of my men, easy?" Anakin asked dangerously.

Leia didn't answer, staring at the tall monastery instead. The thing was, she didn't have the faintest idea of what was going on. Or how it was best to approach it. Could she risk in actually changing something? More than she already had?

Anakin kicked through the carpet of shattered droid components like fallen leaves.

"Yes, it's definitely Dooku," he said. "Expect the worse."

oOo

The monastery's entrance armored door with an ominous rumble. Rex went first, flicking on his helmet's spot lamp, his rifle in hand. The other four troopers then followed suit, Leia and Anakin close on their heels.

Leia looked around in the pitch-black darkness, then focused on the Force to guide her instead. She wasn't particularly good at it, but it was better than nothing.

"Kill the lights unless we make enemy contact," Rex said. "Night vision visor and infrared." He turned to Anakin. "You can see okay, can't you, sir?"

"I can sense my way," Anakin said. They both turned to look at Leia then.

"I can too." She snapped.

"You sure you're okay?" Anakin asked, probably remembering her last episode. Leia figured he would hold that against her for some time.

"Yes."

She hadn't bee ready then, but she was now.

They edged down the passage and Leia waited for the worst. It was harder than Leia had generally thought it would be to use the Force instead of her eyes. Yet Luke, and Leia's former guardian of sorts, always made it sound so simple.

Leia felt through the Force something move a few feet ahead. It was always harder to detect droids than any living force since they felt completely different. Two troopers, whose names Leia didn't know, slammed it against the wall and pointed their blaster rifles to its head, just as Anakin lunged forward with his lightsaber drawn.

It was a domestic droid of some kind-not a battle droid Leia would have expected.

"Who are you?" Anakin demanded, his blue blade lighting up its face.

"I am the caretaker of this holy place, sir. Four-A-Seven. You have liberated me from those battle droids."

The droid stood still as neither of the troopers seemed willing enough to stand down.

Anakin didn't seem in any hurry to shut his lightsaber either. "Where's the Hutt?"

"The battle droids kept their prisoners on the detention level."

"Kept." Anakin's grip on his weapon didn't relax one bit. "So they've all left, have they?"

"I appear to be alone, yes."

Leia narrowed her eyes. The droid could be lying, or more importantly, it could have been programmed to lie.

"So where's the detention level?" Rex asked.

"Down the stairs, sir. They lead to the storage cellars, which were turned into cells by the heathers who defined this place."

Rex gestured to the troopers to let the droid go.

"What? You are not just going to let it go on his merry way, just like that, are you?" Leia said, absolutely outraged. She moved to fallow it as it left, but Anakin stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"To destroy it, of course." It's a droid, which meant it was easily replaceable, even if Leia was wrong. Which she was not.

"Now that's just… completely unnecessary." Said Anakin sounding slightly amused, though Leia didn't seem to notice.

"What do you mean unnecessary? It's a droid! How do you even tell if a droid is lying or not?" It was one of the things she disliked most about them.

"You can't, but that's beside the point. It's just a droid, Leia." Anakin was not even bothering to hide his amusement anymore. He motioned Leia to go ahead and turned to Rex.

"Stay here and secure the exit, Captain."

"Yes, sir." Leia could hear him, too, trying not to laugh.

"I can't believe you're finding this funny!" She raged as Anakin joined her at the stairwell.

"Again, it's just a service droid."

"Why would a bunch of monks even need one?"

"I don't know, you tell me."

"Stop laughing, I'm being serious!"

But for the first time Leia found herself unable to hold back a smile too.

oOo

Leia could tell trough the Force that something was wrong. That something, possibly being the battle droids, that hid in the passage-way.

"How come you're so intent on walking us into another trap?" Leia whispered to Anakin in annoyance.

"Who says it's a trap?"

Leia rolled her eyes. "Oh, I don't know, maybe the two droids we just passed?"

"So it's the droids that make you uneasy." Leia scowled at the amusement she detected in Anakin's voice.

"They annoy me, just like you're right now." She gritted out.

"So why don't _you_, get rid of them?"

"Who says that I won't?" At least she would have something else to do, besides fantasizing about stabbing Anakin with her lightsaber. Or batter yet, blasting him with her rifle blaster she always carried with her.

"If that makes you feel better," Anakin teased, giving a slight shrug.

Leia fell back.

She twisted and turned as she slashed at the droids that came charging her way, getting rid of their weapons first. She wasn't giving them a chance to blast her. She knew what it was like to get hit from experience, still had a few scars, like that especially bad one on her back shoulder.

Metal clattered as the last one fell. Feeling pretty satisfied with herself Leia returned to Anakin's side.

"Feeling better?"

"Much better, actually," Leia said, almost skipping.

The whole masonry smelled of decay and dampness. Leia scrunched up her nose at the distinctive, yet familiar stench, that could mean only one thing. Hutt.

The smell also brought back memories she would have rather kept buried. Like the guilt of killing another living being, even if he hadn't given her any other choice. Besides, she had only done the galaxy a favor by doing so.

"He's down here," Anakin said, breaking into a slight run. "I can sense him. Cover me."

But Leia didn't hear him as she kept remembering the anger and the fear she had felt when Jabba had threatened her and Luke. She could easily recall the feelings of helplessness and shock, as he ordered for the bounty hunter to shoot Han-the person that was supposed to help Leia and Luke escape. And when Leia saw his dead body on the ground, blood pooling from under him, she just snapped. Next thing she knew, she was across the room, slashing with her lightsaber trough Jabba, as it cut through him easier than a knife through butter.

That's also when all hell broke loose with Luke having to fight off his own offenders just to get to her.

"Leia," Anakin said, snapping Leia back to reality. He was frowning at her as if she was a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out.

"Sorry, I was just thinking," Leia said, brushing the memories aside. Anakin didn't need to know just how messed up she really was. Or how he might be one of the reasons for her ending up that way.

"About what?" Anakin pressed.

She didn't like the way he was studying her, as if he was trying to see right through her, into the deepest, darkest corners, which Leia herself preferred to stay away from.

"About how much you seem to hate Jabba," Leia said, trying to reverse the attention from her to him. Fortunately, it seemed to work.

Anakin looked away. "It doesn't matter how I feel. We won't be able to destroy the Separatists if we don't grab his kid. It's that simple."

"I don't think I'll ever understand the Jedi then."

Leia put a hand on the heavy door of the cell, reaching trough the Force. The Jedi were so different from what Luke had believed them to be.

"Then you've clearly chosen a wrong path for yourself."

Leia shrugged. Wasn't he one to talk.

"He's inside, I can feel him," Leia said, pulling her hand away. She was sure of it.

"Stand back," Anakin ordered.

Leia moved aside, though a bit begrudgingly.

Anakin eased the massive door, shaped like a cube, with a Force push. Leia instantly lit her lightsaber to life, readying herself for whatever that might rush at them. But as the creaking slab of wood swung inward, it was the smell that hit her first and then the wall of noise.

The Huttlet was crying, more like screaming on the mattress in the middle of the floor.

Leia frowned at the ugly little slug, unsure of what to do. She hated Hutts just as much as Anakin perhaps, if not more. But even she couldn't take the high pitched Huttlet's wailings without feeling some sympathy. He was just a baby, younger than Leia first thought him to be.

When it came apparent that Anakin wasn't in any rush to stop him, Leia didn't have a choice, but to do so herself. She stepped inside, moving toward the wailing Huttlet, and crouched down in front of him.

"It's okay, you can stop crying now. We're going to bring you home."

No reaction. Instead, his screams seemed to get louder as Leia had the urge to cover her ears. Okay, this wasn't working.

"Um, dolpee kikyuna. Jee-jee bolla da bunky dunko. Rotta, sala." Leia spoke in Huttese, trying to sound as cheery and calming as she could muster. It seemed to work as Rotta stopped sobbing and instead stared up at Leia, stunned. She grimaced, not knowing what to do with the sheer attention the Hullet was now giving her. She turned to look back at Anakin for help.

Leia's Master stared at her, his face unreadable.

"What?"

"Where did you learn to speak Huttese?"

Leia cursed herself silently. She should have known speaking an Outer Rim language would be a bad idea. Especially, when her new Master possibly knew the language better than she did.

She shrugged, trying to make it seem like it wasn't a big deal. "I picked up a few phrases here and there. I've always been interested in learning new things, like languages."

Of course, in truth, it wasn't that simple. It was due to her prolonged stay on Tatooine with Luke, that she even bothered with learning Huttese.

Anakin's eyes narrowed. "You're lying."

"What do you mean I'm lying?" It wasn't hard to play-off as offended since for some reason Leia felt that way.

So it wasn't the whole truth, sure, but he had no way of knowing that. Leia was supposed to be just another ordinary Padawan learner in Anakin's eyes, he had no reason to suspect there was more to her.

"You'd have to be aware of Outer Rim territories for that and I don't think the Order would encourage a youngling of such a thing,"

Leia scoffed, "You make them sound narrow-minded," Though as she said it, she knew it to be true. "It doesn't matter right now, anyway. Why don't we just focus on getting this Huttlet back where we're supposed to?"

She smiled at him brightly, though on the inside she felt uneasy. She didn't want to give Anakin any more reasons to question her past and the circumstances that brought her there. But as she stared at his resolved expression, she realized it was unavoidable. She made him doubt too much. Kriffing hell.

She stood up and stared at the Huttlet at her feet.

"What are we going to do with him, anyway?

"You can carry him, Princess. You two seem to get along quite nicely." Rotta certainly seemed to think so too. He kept watching her closely with something close to utter adoration.

Leia grimaced, "I really don't think that's a good idea." She didn't want the constant reminder of what she did in the future.

"It doesn't matter what you think," came Anakin's response.

Leia whirled on him. "What's that suppose to mean?"

"You're a Padawan while I'm your Master. That means you have to do as I say without arguing." Leia scowled at him but refrained from retorting. She knew what she was signing up for from the beginning, but was also starting to regret that particular decision. She looked down at Rotta. Along with some others.

"Just because I'm gonna carry you doesn't mean anything." She said though she knew he wouldn't be able to understand her, not when she was speaking Basic, instead of Huttese.

She crouched down and picked him up, almost stumbling at the weight. He was heavy for a baby.

"Let's go," Anakin said, then spoke into the comlink. "Rex, this is Skywalker, over. All clear?"

Rex's voice carried over the comlink. "All secure here, sir. Got him?"

"Safe and sound. We're coming now."

"I'll send Coric back to make sure the droids don't get ideas. Can't risk any accidents with the kid now."

"Good point, Captain." Anakin turned a practical eye towards the Huttlet in Leia's arms, sizing him up. "Ask Codric to fetch a backpack, too. Rotta's heavy cargo."

Leia scowled. How would he know, he wasn't the one currently holding him.

"Copy that, sir."

Leia waited patiently along with Anakin, who was defending the door, for Coric to show.

Despite Leia's best attempts, her mind once again went back to that time in Jabba's palace, when she and Luke had been caught with Han helping them. They had been so close to escaping. When they were brought to Jabba's palace, she had been so scared. That fear later turning into a full-blown rage. For Leia had known Jabba wanted to present Luke and Leia to the Empire as leverage of sorts but never expected to see Han get executed as a result. She once again heard the trigger going off inside her head and the bang that fallowed it. And then the blood. So much blood.

The Huttlet squirmed then started to wail once again as if feeling Leia's anger.

"Schutta," She snapped at the Huttlet. He would grow up to be just the same anyway.

She could feel Anakin's dubious look but didn't care. He wasn't in any place to criticize her.

Still.

Leia looked down at the Huttlet. She could feel his distress through the Force, knew he was afraid. Luke would have done something to soothe him, unlike Leia, he wouldn't have been able to hold any anger towards the Huttlet for something he hadn't done. It wasn't his fault that his whole race had a bad reputation, or that his father was a deeply despised and feared crime lord.

Leia took a deep breath and closed her eyes, then focused on letting her anger go, along with the breath she had been holding.

It wasn't his fault, just like it wouldn't be Luke's fault if his father truly turned out to be a Sith Lord.

"What is it Leia?" She heard Anakin ask.

Leia shook her head, rocking Rotta back and forth. "Nothing, everything is fine."

She was confident enough her feelings couldn't be sensed through the Force, for she was long used to shielding her emotions along with her Force-sensitivity, which meant that Anakin must have noticed something slip in her expression.

She raised her head and smiled tightly, "Everything is fine."

Anakin's brow furrowed, and she wasn't sure if he believed her.

Boots thudded in the passage outside. Coric entered with a backpack in both hands and almost screeched to a halt as if he'd hit a wall. It was clear by the jerk of his head, which showed he had his filters open, that he had inhaled Rotta's distinctive smell.

"Sir, permission to speak freely?" Coric held the backpack out to Leia, who took it with an exasperated huff.

"That kriffing Hutt is honking, sir. His dad must need a decomposing nerf as an air freshener. Can we stow him in the cargo bay?"

Carefully, Leia stuffed the Huttlet into the backpack, paying no mind to the trooper's stupidity.

"My sentiments entirely, Sergeant. Let's go."

Leia heaved the backpack onto her shoulders and huffed, "You do know that it's the other way around for him, don't you? For him, it's actually we're the ones that stink, right?"

"I bet you wish you had a helmet with the filters right now, ma'am…" Cedric adjusted the breather unit of his helmet and stood back to let Leia and Anakin exit the cell.

"Unlike you, I'm used to the smell," Leia said unconsciously, then cursed herself for the tenth time now, as Anakin glanced in her direction. Seriously, she was turning into Luke.

Luckily, Coric didn't seem to catch the odd familiarity in which Leia had spoken.

"The Captain's got a larty on standby, sir. You got everything you need?"

"Yes, let's go out before I change my mind about the Hutt."

"You do know he's just a baby-he hasn't done anything yet," Leia said in Rotta's defense, at the same time trying to convince herself of the same thing.

"Exactly-yet. I know what he's going to become and there's no changing that." Anakin said, making it clear his opinion couldn't be swayed.

Leia eyed him carefully. "I could say the same thing about most humanoids, you know, including you."

The lack of self-awareness in her supposedly new Master's statement was too astounding to let it slide quietly. For better or worse, it just wasn't in Leia's nature.

Anakin tensed but didn't say anything, perhaps having felt the true weight of Leia's words.

They made their way back to the exit, checking around as if excepting some kind of a trap. Well, if there was one, Leia wasn't seeing it, which made her uneasy.

Leia saw daylight ahead and Rex silhouette against it, kama swinging as he turned repeatedly to check something outside the courtyard.

Unable to check on the Huttlet without taking off the backpack, Leia reached trough the Force instead. He had been surprisingly quiet for some time now. Leia stilled as she noticed it.

"Master…"

Anakin didn't turn around, "Don't tell me, the Hutt's thrown up on you."

"No, but I think it's something much worse."

Anakin slowed, "How worse? Can you sense something?"

"I don't know why I haven't realized it before, but now I know why he was screaming and then went quiet."

"What? Spit it out, Princess."

Leia turned around, so Anakin could peer into the backpack "Does he look okay to you? He's making awful noises. I didn't think much of it at first, but… I think he's ill. Like, really ill."

Leia couldn't understand why she hadn't picked up on it sooner.

After all, she knew personally, that the Sith were much, much crueler than any Hutt could ever be.

oOo

Anakin's Delta fighter dropped into the courtyard and an astromech droid hopped off its housing minted on the wig. The droid swiveled his dome to focus on Rotta, whistling mournfully. Unfortunately, Leia couldn't understand what he was saying. Luke had been the one whit some understanding of Binery, probably due to how much time he spent with R2-D2 and other droids he had fixed over the years.

"Yeah, he's not well at all, Artoo." Leia frowned to herself as Anakin peered into the backpack. Of course, he could understand the droid. Another thing he seemed to have in common with Luke. "But at least we have him. Is General Kenobi on his way?"

Artoo projected a hologram of Obi-Wan in midair in front of Anakin. "I am," Obi-Wan said. "With reinforcements, too. Have you found Jabba's son?"

Leia cocked her head slightly to the side as she stared at the droid. With his white, blue, and silvery coloring, he looked exactly like R2-D2 had. But then, she supposed, so must have the whole R2-series the droid belonged to.

"If holomessaging transmitted smell, you'd know already. Yes, we have him, but…" Anakin trailed off.

"But what?"

Oh here it goes, Leia thought.

"He's really ill. We need to get him to a specialist medic soon. Hutts just don't get sick, so this is serious."

Kenobi ran his hand over his beard, but not in his usual, considering way, but fast as if he wanted to groan in despair.

"That's the last thing we need right now, Anakin."

"I think I worked that out, Master. And I'm pretty sure that this is a sting by Dooku. The whole situation stinks worse than the Huttlet."

"He's set us up to alienate Jabba, then. To stop us from getting access to Hutt routes."

"I realized something was wrong after I lost half my men in breaching the monastery, and then we were allowed to just stroll in unopposed and get the kid."

Leia had an uncontrollable urge to roll her eyes. And yet, when she told him the very same thing from the very beginning, he had the decency to insinuate that she was out of her mind.

"I was waiting for the ambush, but maybe this is it-he's literally left us holding the baby. And it might end up being a dead baby." Anakin said.

Leia found herself silently disagreeing. If he wanted Rotta dead, he would have killed him from the very beginning and then left him for the Jedi to find. Why risk otherwise?

Kenobi leaned out of the range of his transmitter as if checking for something. "You think Dooku has poisoned the youngling?"

"No idea. But the timing and circumstances make me wonder."

"Let's make sure Rotta survives, then."

"I'm sorry, Master. Maybe I should have seen this coming. But it was a bad idea to deal with the Hutts. You can never win with them. You can only choose how badly you lose."

"Anakin, if we'd refused Jabba's request for help, we'd never have been granted access to those routes anyway. We had no choice."

"You think he's colluding with Dooku? That he maneuvered us? It was very unlike Jabba's to ask for republic help."

"I don't know, but one thing we can't do is play into Separatist hands by letting anything happen to the baby. Top priority. We return it in one peace."

Suddenly, Leia's sixth sense went off.

"Okay Master, understood. We-oh, great…" Anakin trailed off.

"Down! Everybody down! Enemy fighters, incoming!" Rex yelled.

Leia stepped back and raised her head to only see a massive Separatist landing ship followed by at least a dozen droid vulture fighters heading their way.

The R2-droid didn't seem to mind the oncoming danger as he continued transmitting Obi-Wan's message.

"Master, we're under attack. Got to go. And hurry up…"

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan said.

Leia was barely aware of the transmission breaking up. Not when she was more concerned with the upcoming danger.

"Anakin!" Master Obi-Wan was gone, just us Anakin whirled on Leia.

"Leia, get inside!"

Leia turned around and ran towards the monastery door without arguing, but only because she had the Huttlet on her. She was mildly aware of the brilliant flashes of light above her and the rumbles and thunders that fallowed.

Leia stopped dead, barely managing to pull up a Force shield around her in time, as a fighter strafed the monastery, ripping up ancient flagstones in a dead straight line, shattering chunks of stone.

That was close.

"Leia! Are you okay?" Leia heard Anakin shout.

"Fine." She replied, turning around. Anakin's back was to her as he faced the battle droids ahead.

"Get inside."

Leia frowned, "But.."

"Now!" Anakin urged, cutting her off.

"Listen to your Master, kid." Rex said, appearing beside Anakin.

Leia huffed, but complied, cursing them both inside her head as she slipped into the monastery's shadows, the R2-droid rolling after her.

"What, did he order you here too?"

The droid beeped twice, which Leia at least knew meant a yes.

"I hope it wasn't to babysit me."

The droid chirped and whirled, but it was pretty much useless since Leia couldn't understand most of it.

She took the backpack off her shoulders, hugging the Huttlet to her front as she checked up on him. He was still burning up. She sighed.

"Hunka be, winkee Rotta." She told the Huttlet, though she doubted he would listen to her. She wouldn't be able to sleep in the middle of an attack either. Still, he was sick and needed the rest.

Footsteps sounded as troopers spilled into the passageway.

They were pulling back.

Leia straightened, securing once again the straps of the backpack on her shoulders with the Huttlet still safely tucked inside. There was no sign of Anakin or Rex.

"What now?" Leia muttered to herself.

_Stay close to me_, he kept telling her. Yet, how was she supposed to do that, if he seemed to have a death wish?

When the last of the injured clone troopers were brought inside, a round of fire came crashing into the controls inside the door.

The heavy slab fell.

At the last minute, Rex came ducking under the falling door, Anakin alongside him. For a moment, Leia was afraid Anakin wouldn't make it with the door crushing his skull instead. But he did, and the door crashed down behind him, plunging the passage into darkness.

Leia wasn't sure if she was supposed to be glad or mad at herself for feeling momentarily worried. She could hear the faint sounds of droids massing on the other side of the door.

The armor plates clacked in the darkness as helmet spot lamps began lighting up.

"Sir," said one of the troopers, Leia had no idea which one, "I think I left my lunchbox outside. Want to go and collect it for me?"

Everyone burst out laughing, except for Leia. Even Anakin seemed to find joy in the black humor, which was beyond Leia's understanding. Sure, they were joking now. After all, it was Leia who had to live under a dictatorship in the future.

"Rex, how many casualties?" Anakin asked, turning serious. "How many medics made it?"

"Forty-two men remaining, sir, three medic-trained. Six walking wounded, one seriously injured and immobile."

Leia turned to stare emotionlessly in the direction of the three troopers clustering around the injured AT-TE crewman who she had watched being brought in earlier. His armor plates and helmet were placed to one side while they tried stabilizing him. Leia seriously doubted he was going to make it.

"Okay, you know what to do, Captain. We'll hole up in the least accessible cell we can find and if they get past you, then they'll still have to get past me and Leia. And Artoo." Anakin said.

"Understood, sir," Rex said.

The troopers split into groups. One party began stripping anything that was removable from walls and alcoves and stacking them against the door. Another group laid ordnance out on the floor and seemed to be assembling booby traps; three men ran down into the passage and started setting up a first-aid position. Leia watched as one trooper passed a thin wire into the gaps between the flagstones from one side of the passage to the other. They worked as a group, each one of them confident in every move; of how and what to do.

Leia stared at Anakin as he walked between the troopers, tapping his palm against the hand of every man within his reach without saying anything. Rex seemed to be the last; Anakin clapped his hand on the captain's backplate as he passed, and Rex just gave him a deceptively relaxed pat on the shoulder in return. Watching it all, Leia once again felt so very much alone. It was clear that Anakin cared deeply for his men and their well-being and she wasn't sure what to make of it.

Anakin jogged towards her and Artoo, "You okay?" He asked Leia. She nodded, gazing at the distance, seemingly somewhere far away.

Finally, she focused her eyes on Anakin.

"Fine."

She wasn't. But Anakin didn't seem to notice that particular lie or maybe he had deeper concerns, and instead led her and Artoo farther away, towards the bowels of the monastery.

Leia pulled deeper into herself the farther they went. Trying, yet unable to deal with the pain anymore. No matter what she did, she never seemed to be able to will that emptiness away. Luke had been the only one, but now he was gone too. Just like everyone else.

They went into an innermost sanctum of some kind of throne room with overblown decor. Anakin shut the door and Leia couldn't help but feel trapped. Just like she had been so many times before.

She watched as the R2-droid made a straight B line for an alcove and plugged himself into the computer hub without anyone ordering him to. The droid whistled happily as the terminal flickered to life and he began slicing through security interferences.

Leia frowned. The only other droid she knew that had a mindset of its own had been R2-D2.

"I refuse to believe a place like this hasn't got plenty of alternate exits," Anakin said while peering over the droid's dome to look at the screen. "If I didn't have any to start with, I bet the Hutt who moved in added a few. Right, Artoo?"

Leia's frown deepened. Now he was asking for a droid's opinion just like Luke would have. The droid beeped in what Leia supposed had to be an agreement.

She shook her head, scolding herself for once again allowing her mind to wander too far. It wasn't the same droid, and Anakin wasn't Luke. She took off the backpack, resting it on the ground as she crouched down to inspect the Huttlet.

"He's finally asleep," Leia said slightly relieved. Either that, or he was unconscious.

Anakin moved closer to check on Rotta. "As long as he's breathing, that can only be good."

He turned to look at Leia, "You should get some rest too."

"I'm not tired," she objected. She needed to do something, to think, otherwise she would fall apart.

"Leia…" Anakin sighed exasperated, "what are you trying to prove?"

Leia scowled at him, "I'm not trying to prove anything."

The only thing she was trying to do was survive. But that didn't seem to be enough, so becoming a Jedi, dedicating herself to a cause seemed the only thing that could keep her afloat in the middle of the storm that was set on destroying her.

"What aren't you telling me, Leia?"

Leia looked away, suddenly feeling uncomfortable under Anakin's scrutinizing gaze. "I don't know what you mean, Master."

"I think you do, Leia." He said, his voice turning softer as if to put her on ease, but it only had the opposite effect on Leia.

"How about you start with what happened aboard the gunship on the way here?"

Leia hugged herself, "Nothing, I got nervous, that's all."

"You were terrified, Leia, don't try to insult my intelligence. What I want to know is what caused it."

Leia looked everywhere but at Anakin. What was she supposed to say now? He wasn't going to drop this, but she couldn't tell the truth. Not the whole truth, anyway.

Leia let out a breath, "I get nervous in closed spaces, especially under attacks. I guess, I just didn't expect the emergency lights and for a moment I thought I was somewhere else. I'm sorry Master."

She glanced at him and the concern she saw in his expression almost made her falter.

"I'm not mad, Leia." He said, then frowned. "Is this your first mission?" She heard the dangerous note in his voice. She knew, that if she told him no, he wouldn't be happy.

"Yes." She said. And it was her first mission. Under the Jedi Order, anyway. What Anakin just didn't know yet, was that she hadn't spent her whole life in the Jedi Academy. That she was barely even trained by them.

She could see his frown deepen, knew that her answer only brought more unanswered questions, but she didn't feel like sharing any more than was absolutely necessary.

She looked back down at Rotta. He looked even worse. Leia guessed he was awake since his eyes weren't completely shut, but he was still not responding to anything.

"Have you got any water? I think he might be thirsty."

Seemingly unhappy about it, Anakin rummaged trough the small satchel attached to his belt.

"Only if you drink some yourself. Come on. Dehydration makes you confused, and then kills you."

Leia took the held out water flask with an eye-roll.

"Fine." She took a few small gulps, then reached out to give some to Rotta. No way could she drink from the same flask after the Huttlet, and she doubted Anakin would either, by the look on his face.

"Yocola," she urged the Huttlet, moistening the baby's lips. An oversized slimy tongue darted out and Rotta slurped. "Grancha, Rotta." She praised.

"You seem to know a lot," Leia turned to look at Anakin in confusion. "More than an ordinary Padawan would." It wasn't a question.

Leia shrugged, "I don't see your point." She knew a lot because she had gone through a lot.

Rotta burped happily, done drinking, and now watched Leia with the same adoring murky eyes.

"If you're not careful, he'll bond with you," Anakin said. "When he's all grown up and he's a two-ton crime lord, you'll have a devoted friend for life."

Leia looked up at him doubtfully, "Now you're just making stuff up."

She looked down once again at Rotta. Fifteen more years and the Huttlet would despise her, no matter how much he seemed to like her now.

"Besides, he would learn to hate me soon enough."

Thankfully, before Anakin could have a chance to latch on on that particularly careless admission, Artoo thrilled triumphantly.

"Found it, Artoo?" Anakin asked.

The droid spun ninety degrees. Leia found herself once again annoyed that she never once bothered with learning to understand droids, Luke had been better at it anyway.

"Drill faster, buddy," Anakin said. Guess they'd have to wait a little longer.

An explosion sounded, which made Leia jump. She could faintly feel death, pain, and fear through the Force as she reached across it with her senses. They'd gotten through.

"The droids have broken through," Anakin said. "Artoo, get a move on. We still have an objective to archive. Leia, get ready to evacuate."

Leia snatched up the backpack and struggled into the straps. Rotta gurgled, now fully awake. Trying to put him more at ease, she once again began talking to him in Huttese.

"Just don't die on us," Anakin said, addressing Rotta. "The sooner we get rid of you, the better."

Leia knew he could have easily said the same thing in Huttese, but for some reason hadn't. The more time she spent with him, the more he seemed all bark and no bite.

"Yes, you hate Hutts, I get it, I'm not fond of them either. But what Rotta could have possibly done? I'll tell you: nothing. He's only guilty of being a slug, which wasn't even his choice, to begin with."

"I'm sure he'll make up for that when he gets older. Look, I do my duty, but I reserve the right to think what I like about whether it's worth the sweat and blood or not."

"So all you're saying is, that if it was up to you, you'd leave him to die, is that it?"

"If we get chummy with organized crime, and turn a blind eye to our allies making a living from slavery, drug running, extortion, and murder, what exactly are we fighting for?"

"We're fighting to save civilian lives! Or have I gotten it wrong and it isn't about Democracy at all?" Leia could feel herself tearing up, but didn't care. "I didn't know, that you could choose between who to save and who to leave for dead." She finished, her voice breaking. It wasn't what she was raised to believe. Nor had it been the picture of the perfect Jedi Luke had dedicated himself to becoming.

But most importantly, it wasn't what Luke had believed his father had fought and died for.

Artoo beeped frantically. Leia guessed that he was triumphant in finding what he was looking for.

"Leia-" Anakin started.

"Don't." She cutting him off, "Let's just focus on the task at hand." She said coldly, not looking at him, but at the holographic plan from the astromech droid's projector.

Anakin sighed, knowing that Leia was right and fully aware that it would be fertile, anyway. He hurt her too deeply.

Leia stared blankly at the hologram of the network of passages leading out of the monastery, yet not really seeing them.

"That's a great place to land a larty," said Anakin. "Artoo, you're the navigator-lead us down there and I'll call for extraction."

He then turned to address Leia, "We'll talk about his later. As you said, we have to put the mission first, can you do that?"

Could _she_ do it? Leia looked him straight in the eye, showing him that she was tougher than he gave her credit for.

"No problem, Master."

All she ever did was push her insecurities and fears away. It's not like she actually had someone who could help her address them.

"Get going, Artoo," Anakin instructed.

Next came the words Leia dreaded most.

"Next stop, Tatooine."

oOo

****Edited****

**Review! **


	3. Chapter 3

Leia stood tensely as Anakin tightened the straps of her backpack which made Rotta squeal in protest.

"Yes, I know it's tight, but you're going to slip out if we do any jumping around, aren't you?" Anakin said to Rotta as if the little slug could understand him. "You're a slippery customer. And you'll be even more slimy and slippery when you grow up."

Leia couldn't fathom why he kept insisting on speaking Galactic Basic if he knew Rotta couldn't understand it. Maybe he was unaware of the fact that _she_ knew he could speak Huttese. But then, why hide it?

"He doesn't understand," Leia said. "Why don't you tell him in Huttese?"

Leia noticed Anakin tense slightly. "Who says that I know how?"

Leia narrowed her eyes.

"Okay." She said simply, making it clear that she knew better, but wasn't going to push on the subject further. If he wanted to pretend that he hadn't spent a portion of his childhood on Tatooine, fine by her.

"Let's get moving. Those droids will be all over us before we know it."

"Whatever you say, Master." Leia said, throttling after Artoo as he headed for the exit with Anakin defending the rear.

"Don't you remember what it was like to be a kid?" Leia asked suddenly.

"A pain in the neck, you mean?"

Leia smiled sourly, "Is that the way you see me? You know, I'm long used to adults perceiving me as someone ignorant and mindless, but somehow, I thought you'd know better."

Anakin didn't answer as he checked the doorway down the passage behind them. Leia heard his comlink crackle.

"Anakin, come in."

Leia stopped dead, then frowned, "Is that Rex?"

It was hard to tell since all of the clones sounded exactly the same to her. Still, something about it rubbed Leia the wrong way.

"Anakin, come in." Repeated the voice, strangely flat, mild toned, not at all sounding like the Rex Leia had come to know.

"We've held the droids, sir." The voice continued.

That couldn't be right. Leia could still feel them there, had heard them not so long ago. By the look on Anakin's face, it was clear he was aware of that little detail too.

"What is your location?" The voice pressed on. It seemed the person speaking had no intention of giving up.

Leia walked closer to Anakin. He put his finger to his lips, motioning for her to be quiet. He hadn't pressed the transmit key yet. Then after a few moments of deadly silence, he closed the link.

"Wasn't that him?" She asked confused.

"It was," confirmed Anakin, as he spun Leia by her shoulder and pushed her gently on her way. "But he was warning me that we've got trouble."

"How can you tell? I mean, was that some sort of code, or…"

"Rex would never call me Anakin, he never talks like a dumb droid, and he knows perfectly well that I can tell from disturbances in the Force that our guys were slaughtered up there." Leia winced slightly at the last part. "He's being held and I bet I know who's trying to use him as bait."

"Who?"

"Dooku's assassin," Anakin said, his voice turning bitter. "Ventress. I bet she thought she could mind-influence Rex to trap us. Fat chance. You have to have a weak-minded subject or do it very subtly. Maybe she's getting sloppy in her desperation."

"What does she want then? To kill us?"

She'd have to be disappointed then because many had tried before and failed. Leia would have considered herself lucky, if not for everyone she cared about always ending up dead in her stead.

"That, or kill the Hutt and blame it on us."

"Why haven't they done that before we got here then?"

"I don't know, maybe you'll have an opportunity to ask her," Anakin said cuttingly. "We're here sorely to get that Huttlet home. Everything else, Princess, will just be a detail in the final report."

Someone was cranky, thought Leia with an eye roll.

She decided it was better to leave him to his thoughts as they followed Artoo down a twisting passage that snaked close to the foundations of the monastery. Instead, she focused on her own musings.

Anakin Skywalker wasn't at all what she had imagined. Maybe that was a given; she had heard enough about his accomplishments at the Jedi Temple, but never took them seriously. The Jedi saw him as their Chosen One. The holonet called him the hero-with-no-fear.

She had been more than doubtful, unable to believe in the perfect picture everyone painted him to be. Not when, since she'd been a little girl; the main villain in her nightmares, set on destroying her, could be the very person who claimed now to be protecting her.

Leia hoped her suspicions were wrong. She hoped she was mistaken and Darth Vader hadn't once been Anakin Skywalker.

She just didn't want to believe that the man before her could ever be capable of such ferocious things.

Artoo whistled. There was a door at the end of the passage, exactly as the holoplans had shown.

Anakin pushed it open. An inrush of hot, damp air hit Leia in the face like a washcloth. They were on a platform jutting over a sheet drop. The trees beneath were still hazy with mist.

Leia walked closer, trying to get a better look. There were huge insects of some kind soaring on thermals, glittering like gems. She peered over the edge.

_Wouldn't that just be a pleasant drop?_

Leia felt a hand on her forearm as Anakin pulled her back. She grimaced in displeasure. He should really stop manhandling her like that, as if she was some sort of youngling, that could twist her neck any moment just because she didn't know any better.

She watched with a glower as he raised his comlink to his mouth. "Skywalker to 501st air support, anyone receiving? I say again, Skywalker here, we require evac and a medic…"

"Skywalker, this is larty three-niner receiving, please give your position." Responded a voice from the other side of the comlink.

"Transmitting coordinates now."

"Copy that, sir. On my way. Estimate six standard minutes. Injury?"

"Negative, but the hostage is sick and will require treatment. Better get someone looking through the species pharma database. And look out for FOD-three-meter flying insects."

"Already friend a few of them in the drives, sir-they're attracted by the noise and seem to think we're a prospective mate. We've lowered the intake filters to stop them fouling the propulsion units completely."

"Romance really is dead, then. Standing by, three-niner."

Leia wondered if it was the last gunship left. To sit and wait while you knew others were dying - she could tell exactly what it felt like.

"Give me the backpack," Anakin ordered, "Have a rest while you can. Stay close to the wall-when the larty lands, it kicks up a lot of grit. And we don't know who else is airborne."

Leia nodded, struggling out of the backpack. If Anakin wanted to be the one to carry it, fine by her. He could feel it firsthand just how heavy the Huttlet actually was.

Leia heard the distinctive sounds of a LAAT/i's drives as Anakin moved backwards. Yet she couldn't help, but feel tense, expecting trouble of some kind any moment now. Something always tended to go wrong.

The gunship appeared suddenly from beneath the platform level and swung its tail one-eighty degrees to set down with its port side hatch open. It was also covered in bug-spatter and fragments of giant insect wings. Leia raised her hand, shielding her face against the kicking grit.

"Sir!" The winchman leaned out, one hand extended, the other hanging on to his safety line. "Let's get going. We've got Sep craft all over the place."

"Just take the Hutt."

Leia's unease spiked up as Anakin started to slide off the backpack. She was sure she was probably being paranoid, but the Huttlet was their main priority. Perhaps it was plausible she was hesitant to trust anyone with it.

"We're going back for Captain Rex and the others."

The winchman didn't say a word and Leia couldn't see his expression behind the visor.

Maybe she should offer to go with the Huttlet. That way she could at least watch over him and make sure he made it safely. She was just about to suggest that when the winchman whipped around to look back into the cabin; she heard the sensors sounding a cockpit alarm.

She was faintly aware of Anakin making ten strides out from the wall she was standing when the shadow fell across the platform, with the lightning-fast beckoning of a diving fighter.

The LAAT/I exploded in a ball of flame.

Metal and duraplast fragments flew out from the blast, knocking Anakin flat. As Leia ran towards him, she could see the gunship burning, it's twisted frame teetering on the edge of the platform before plunging into the jungle below. Black smoke rose in a column high into the air as she fell on her knees beside him.

"Master! Is…"

"The Hutt's okay," said Anakin as he struggled to right himself with the pack on his back. "Get back. Get undercover."

"Get undercover? Are you out of your mind!"

Before Leia could scream at him for being the stupidest biggot she'd ever known, a shadow fell over them again. It was a vulture droid, or whatever they called it. It landed right in front of them, barring their path back to the door. Leia watched it carefully, drawing her lightsaber just as Anakin did his. She was so ready to be done with this.

It rotated its wings to become sharp-edged legs, then opened up with laserfire. Leia tried to draw it off by moving to the side, away from Anakin, while battling away the incoming bolts. She couldn't let the Hutttlet get hurt. Artoo beeped loudly and rumbled forward as if he was going to join in. Crazy droid.

"Artoo!" Anakin snapped. The astromech droid started to roll towards him at his summon. "No, Artoo, no, get inside! I need you in one piece!"

Feeling frustrated Leia lunged at the vulture again which made it spin ninety degrees to face her, but then it seemed to learn her ploy and ignored her, swiveling one cannon to blast at her while it's main fire was directed at Anakin.

And here she thought these piles of junk were dumb.

She glanced at the edge behind her then at Anakin; an idea forming in her mind. She looked back at the vulture as it darted forward, stabbing Anakin with the sharp points of wingtips that had become its feet and legs. Anakin moved back.

Rotta squealed which made Leia's heart clench a little. With the lightsaber still in her right arm-deflecting the incoming blast from one of the vulture's cannons aimed at her, she pulled the blaster pistol she always carried out of the holster on her hip.

"Come on, you useless piece of wreckage." She heard Anakin say as he edged backward. No, no, no! What the hell was he doing? "Show me what you've got."

Well, he got what he wanted. It ran at him. Leia cursed as it came to a dead halt and started firing at Anakin. He fended off the laserfire, but Leia doubted he could keep it up for much longer, especially when the vulture pulled his fourth cannon away from Leia-and started a random firing patter aimed at Anakin with all four cannons.

Kriff it, guess she'll have to do it the hard way.

She ran towards them, her lightsaber in one hand and her blaster pistol in the other. "Hey, you frizzled piece of junk!" she yelled, raising her blaster and firing.

It had the desired effect. Even though the blast hadn't been strong enough to do any real damage the machine paused, registering it as a threat.

Leia didn't wait, dropping her blaster, she rolled, anticipating its fire. Stupidly, she rolled too far.

Her lightsaber went spinning from her hand as she went off the edge of the platform. She grunted, all breath escaping her lungs as at the last minute she grabbed onto the edge.

She was merely hanging on by threads of her fingertips as she was faced with the endless fall down to the jungle below.

Uh oh.

"Leia!" She distantly heard Anakin's bellowing cry.

She tried to calm her erratic breathing as she focused on pulling herself upwards. She so wasn't planning on dying today.

Unfortunately, the vulture seemed to disagree with her resolution as it raised its one leg in a stabbing motion. Thankfully, at that moment Anakin rushed into her aid, lightsaber whirling as he went for the droid. Taking the opportunity while Anakin distracted the vulture, Leia grabbed onto the platform with her other hand and then swung her leg high over the edge, pivoting at the hip to hurl her body forward. Not even giving herself a chance to recover from yet another near-death-experience, she reached out, using a Force-pull to bring her lightsaber spinning back into her hand.

She breathed out in relief as she took comfort in the familiar structure of her lightsaber, clutching it in her palm.

With the last of her strength, she lunged at the vulture, cutting trough his leg with her lightsaber. As it lurched to one side, Anakin, seemingly unaware of Leia's action, leaped onto it and drove his lightsaber deep into the droid's visual sensors.

Anakin fell back, heavenly landing on his feet just as the vulture lost stability and tipped over the edge of the platform.

Leia watched as it fell, satisfied with herself, for its leg had been its wing so it couldn't fly to save itself.

"Oh, that was smart, Princess…" Anakin said, breathing heavily. He straightened, completely unaware that Leia was looking at him with murder in her eyes. "I thought I'd lost you for good."

Not even bothering with answering-she was too mad and could say something she really shouldn't-Leia went to collect her blaster.

She almost died, again. And all because her new 'Master' seemed to lack common sense. She huffed in frustration, as she picked up her blaster pistol and once again stuffed it into her holster pocket, away from anyone's prodding eye. Unlike most blasters, it had a slim design, which made it especially light to carry and easy to use as well as hide. It was also the very first weapon she had been taught how to use as a little girl.

"I don't know if you're aware, but Jedi do not carry blasters, Leia. " Anakin said.

Leia turned to look at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, I'm not a Jedi yet, am I?"

She'd learned how to shoot with various blasters way before learning how to use a with a lightsaber.

The defender blaster was also the last thing her father had given her, no way was she going to give it up.

"If the council finds out…"

"Then I'll explain to them, just like I'm explaining to you now, that it's a defender blaster, meant for civilian self-defense. It's either I keep this blaster for unforeseen situations, or I die trying to get out of whatever trouble I'm going to find myself in next. Just think of it as a token of luck, okay?" She finished, smiling sweetly as she held his unhappy gaze. No way was she backing down, not for this.

After a few moments, Anakin seemed to relent. "Only this once, Leia."

She nodded, although she knew it wouldn't stop her from trying to get her way all the time.

Anakin's eyes narrowed.

She smiled at him slyly, "Yes, Master."

Rotta began to wail pitifully and Leia once again had to be the one to calm him down. Though it wasn't much help since the Huttlet seemed to be willing to stay silent only as long as Leia stayed in his field of vision. One step away and he would start to wail again. If it was supposed to be endearing, Leia found it as anything but.

"Master Kenobi, can you hear me? Master-are you in range yet?" Anakin spoke into the comlink.

It rattled with static.

"No hold of Obi-Wan," said Anakin. "I'll see if I can find Captain Rex."

Leia didn't have it in her to say that it was probably futile. She stared at the Rotta's distinctive yellow eyes. They'd be lucky if they got the Huttlet back safely. For the first time, she wondered if this was why she'd never heard of him in the future. Maybe this mission was doomed from the beginning and the Hutt hadn't survived. That wasn't a particularly comforting thought.

"Rex, are you receiving? This is Skywalker."

No answer.

"Rex, if you can't respond-tap the receiver or something."

Still nothing.

Leia could practically feel Anakin's desperation. Knew, how deeply he cared for his men. Still, she found herself partially surprised to see such vulnerability in her Master. After a while, even she had learned the hard lesson of loss, and the pain such deep devotion could bring. In the end, you always had to remember a hard truth-everyone is dispensable, even you. You might not want them to be, but they are. And as far as Leia was aware, the clones were made for that very purpose.

"Rex, respond!"

"Receiving, General. We're pinned down in the courtyard-me and five men…"

Anakin's relief was apparent in his expression as he breathed out. "Need assistance?"

"…and a Hutt-load of tinnies." Continued Rex as if Anakin hadn't spoken. "Make that a Hutt-load minus one."

"I'll take that as a yes, Captain. On our way."

Wait, what?

Anakin strode back toward the door.

"Master!" Leia raced after him, absolutely livid. "What do you think you're doing? Our mission is to get the Huttlet back, _alive_. Or did you forget?"

"So what are you saying?" Anakin gritted out as he walked on. "That we leave our men to die?"

"The mission has to come first!" It always came first. Leia had learned it the hard way.

"Answer the question, Princess. This is a man you know. Can you leave him to die?"

Yes, she could. How many had already died to protect Leia?

"Don't even go there! You have no idea what you're talking about!" She shouted. "If saving Rex, means that Rotta dies, doesn't that also mean that every other death of every trooper we lost today is for nothing?"

That's why Leia herself had to find the strength to live, to survive, and most importantly, to fight.

"What if the slug dies anyway?"

Leia froze.

"What?" Leia shook her head. "No, we can't know that."

"Okay, Princess, open your comlink and tell him."

Leia frowned in confusion, feeling so very small at that moment.

"What?"

"Comm Rex and say you've made me change my mind because you've convinced me that neither he nor his men are important enough to save."

"That's not, I-…"

"If you want to make a tough decision that cost men their lives, you better be prepared to look them in the eye and tell them why."

Those words hit Leia hard. She stood there, shocked.

Then, unnoticed by her-she felt too conflicted, her eyes watered with unshed tears. But Anakin did notice.

"Leia…" Before he could comfort her, or hurt her even more, Leia raised her head and looked him dead in the eye.

"Are you saying they should have left me to die too?" She asked accusingly.

Anakin froze, a bewildered look on his face.

"Leia, what are you talking about?"

"They could have given me to the Inquisitors any time instead of protecting me and dying in the process. Or should have I gone myself?" Could she have? She had only been a child, she hadn't known any better. Or maybe she just had been too scared, too selfish. "They wouldn't have died then. I would have."

Anakin crouched in front of her, but she barely noticed. Too busy contemplating the infinity of ways it all could have ended.

She wouldn't have met Luke. Would that mean he would still be alive?

"Leia, hey, look at me," Anakin said, gently turning her face to the side so she was facing him. "Whatever I said, I didn't mean it that way."

Leia tried to pull her face away. "No, listen to me, Leia. Whatever it is, it wasn't your fault."

Was it?

Her former Togruta guardian had said the very same thing. That it had been their choice to fight and die for their cause, and no one had the power or right to take that away from them. Not Leia. And especially not the Empire.

Slowly, Leia nodded.

It wasn't her fault.

Regaining her composure she glared at Anakin. "It was their choice."

"I'm sure it was."

"Just like it's Rex's choice to fight, or not."

Anakin stilled.

A shadow passed over his face, "I guess it is."

Suddenly, Artoo whistled a warning, and Leia heard a sound she dreaded: the steady hum of the destroyer droids. Leia's eyes widened slightly and she took a step back; she saw the two thingies rolling down the corridor toward them, readying cannons.

They opened fire and Leia, along with Anakin, was forced back.

Leia struggled to block the laser bolts as she backed away.

"What now?" She shouted.

"Artoo, bar the door!" Anakin commanded.

Just before the R2-droid rolled in to shut the door and lock it, Leia saw a shaven-headed humanoid form of a woman, striding in the wake of the Destroyers. Artoo thrust his interference arm into the lock. The door sealed with a hiss.

"Who's the bald nightmare?" Leia said perplexed. Seriously, the Sith and their attires. Ghastly.

"It's Ventress," Anakin said. "At least they're sending the management to kill us now."

"Like they weren't trying hard enough before," Leia said contemptuously.

The door vibrated for a moment. Leia, guessing by the two red spots that appeared in the metal plate, figured that Ventress wasn't known for her patience as she must have trusted her lightsabers into the door. She watched, mildly fascinated and at the same time horrified as the two laser cutters began simultaneously forming a circle.

"Time to retreat," Anakin said. "There's a lot of jungle to hide in."

Leia looked over the edge. "Are you out of your mind?! We're gonna get killed down there for sure!" Leia was certain there were a lot of poisonous things in the jungle, and might she dare to remind-spider droids.

"Have you got a better idea, Princess?" Anakin asked irritated.

Then he finally glanced over the platform perimeter and looked down.

The spider droids were clambering up the shroud of vines that draped the whole plateau. Several paused to fire into the platform. Leia felt the shock wave under her boots.

"Oh, I don't know about you, but I don't wish to be blasted, and then see if I could survive a hundred-feet fall, but you're welcome to try." She remarked snidely.

"Well…the choice is to have the platform shot out from under us, or stand here and wait for Ventress, or go over the side and meet the spider droids."

"How about none of the above, Master?"

Rotta was wailing intermittently now.

"Carry on complaining, my smelly friend," Anakin said over his shoulder, to the Huttlet still on his back.

Leia huffed. "Will you stop? He's just scared."

Rotta switched to a new sound, a coo of surprise repeated over and over. Leia frowned, glancing at him.

"Well, a change is good as a rest," Anakin said.

Leia frowned. "What's he pointing at?"

The Huttlet seemed to be pointing at the distance of the jungle, but when Leia looked in that direction, she couldn't see anything.

"He's pointing?"

"Over there."

Leia kept scanning the trees, eyes narrowed, as Anakin turned to look too and Rotta wailed. She cursed. She couldn't see anything, yet Rotta seemed to think there was something worth noticing.

"I don't see anything," Anakin said.

Leia went to Anakin's side, reached for his satchel, and pulled out his electrobinoculars without bothering to inform of what she was doing.

As Leia looked trough them, all she could see was the thick haze above the trees and a group of those huge insect-like creatures. They circled the plateaus, diving and snatching at invisible prey with those long bodies, two pairs of rapidly beating glitz wings, and a bulbous head.

Something glittered and Leia turned her head upwards, slightly bit more to the side.

"It's a ship!" She shouted enthusiastically, trusting the electrobinoculars for Ankankin to see.

It was a vessel on a landing platform much like the structure they were standing on now.

"It seems you're right," Anakin said. "It is a ship. But we're here, and it's there. I make that…two kicks away. Three."

Leia's mood plummeted. Her Master was right, it was too far away.

Artoo warbled frantically. Leia turned to look at the door. The twin lightsabers were making better progress than one would expect. Leia figured it wouldn't take more than a couple of minutes for Ventress to finally breakthrough. Then they would definitely be in trouble.

The platform shook from another cannon barrage. It wouldn't be long until it couldn't withstand much more of that. Then they would plummet to the forest floor too…

Leia let out a frustrated breath, she would better face the bald lady than fall to her death.

"Artoo!" Anakin suddenly called. "Can you generate an audio signal that matches a larty's drive profile?"

Wait, what?

Artoo beeped, then obliged with a demonstration that made Leia want to clutch her ears. He got it perfectly down to the LAAT/i's close-to-infrasonic note that droned steadily under the rapid puttering sound.

"I hope whatever you're trying to do is worth my eardrums!" Leia screeched.

"We're calling in one of those insects, and we're going to ride it out of here."

"That's the dumbest idea, I've ever heard." Then she seemed to think better of it. "How do you propose it will even work?"

"The insects think it's an invitation to go on a date. They were all over the larty, remember?"

Oh, she did remember. Leia wondered how humorous it seemed to Anakin now, with the dead LAAT/i crew member somewhere beneath them.

"How can you be sure you'll be able to control that monstrosity even if it comes?"

The platform took another direct hit from underneath. It was starting to tilt; a pebble rolled a few meters toward the edge.

"Force-pull here, Force-push there. As long as we take off. That's my priority."

Leia scowled at him. "You're making it sound too simple."

Artoo rolled gingerly to the edge of the platform, transmitting the gunship's 'love song' to the insects. This was beyond ridiculous. If Luke was here he would have probably laughed and then found a way to tease Leia about one thing or another. Eventually, that teasing turning into bickering fueled by Leia's annoyance and inability to back down. In the end, she would have won, with Luke regretting teasing her in the first place. For some reason, they could never stay angry at each other for long. Maybe because of how deeply they had understood one another.

Behind her, Ventress was close to breaking through the door.

Before her, Anakin was looking out for the machine-like hum of fast-beating, three-meters wings.

And Leia; Leia felt completely and utterly alone.

Without any further notice, Anakin jumped. And Leia was left on one's own to welcome her new Sith friend, just as the perfectly cut circle was Force-pushed. It crashed onto the landing platform. Then the bald woman stepped through the gap, using the excised disk as a step.

She seemed to hesitate for a moment, probably expecting Anakin to jump at her from the side.

"You're awfully young for a Padawan, yet he's still abandoned you." Ventress took her lightsabers and snapped them together, holy to the hilt, to form a double-ended weapon. She then sent Artoo tumbling at the feet of her battle droids. If he was anything like R2-D2, decided Leia, he would be fine. Never underestimate an astromech droid. "It's a Jedi habit."

Leia frowned, as if perplexed. "Are you suggesting you're any different? And here I thought that instead of tossing your minions aside you just kill them instead."

Ventress snarled, which almost made Leia smile.

"Feeling confident, little doll? Aren't you a pretty one? Don't think I won't hurt you."

Leia might've been more than a little scared, but she wasn't going to show the bald nightmare before her that.

She settled into a defensive position, holding her drawn lightsaber in both hands. Knowing better than to attack Ventress first; fully aware that the Sith before her was much more experienced.

No, Leia's best chance was for Ventress to come to her.

The Sith assassin slowly prowled around Leia in a circle. "What are you hiding, little doll?"

Leia raised an eyebrow, "Hiding? The only thing I'm hiding is how ghastly I think you look. Oh no, that's out now, I suppose."

"Your Force presence, I can't feel it." Ventress sneered.

"Too bad, maybe you're just not as good as you think you are."

With a snarl, Ventress charged at Leia.

Two blades against one met each other in a furious hiss, as Leia held her ground, deflecting the attack. Gazes locked. Leia easily diverted the oppressing of the two blades, until the slashes become more calculated and furious as Ventress put more effort into them.

She was testing her, Leia realized.

Leia quickly understood that it might not be the best thing, for her greatest chance at survival would be for Ventress to underestimate her.

She let herself be pushed back, feigning stumbling when in truth, Leia ducked under the red twin blades, rolling forward, then jumping back to her feet.

Leia charged. She slashed, then ducked, then slashed again, Ventress evading each one of her offenses.

Leia's only advantage was that she never used the same combinations. She wouldn't have learned that it wasn't for the dueling practices she had done with Luke. It was like fighting yourself; each knowing the next move the other was going make just by reading the other's thoughts. It took a while for the both of them to master fighting with only feeling and not thinking.

Except, Leia was barely familiar with the technique Ventress seemed to be using, and her height wasn't much help.

Ventress suddenly went still, double blade held to one side with her body exposed. Too late, Leia saw the simple trickery. She lunged. With a swift movement, Ventress whipped Leia's lightsaber from her hand with a figure-eight movement before slamming her flat with a Force push and holding her there with an outstretched hand.

"Where's Skywalker?"

Someone was impatient. Ventress put one boot on her chest. Leia concentrated on the Force, trying to figure out a way to get her off of her. "How would I know? I'm not the one who scared him away."

"Very well. I can wait." Ventress looked up."I can start lopping off body parts of your little doll here, Skywalker. Your call."

The landing platform lurched a fraction, opening an ominous crack that ran at eight angles from the wall of the monastery. Artoo beeped mournfully. Leia wasn't feeling very positive herself.

"Let's trade," Ventress called. Leia tensed as Ventress held the tip of her lightsaber beneath her throat. "Special two-for-one offer-a Padawan and a droid for one Huttlet. Can't say fairer than that."

Leia heard the steady buzz and saw a massive fly with thick wings stretched on a sturdy bone framework and savage mandibles the size of a hand. If they looked scary from a distance, up close they looked ready to tear you apart. Fortunately for Leia and not so much for Ventress, Anakin seemed in complete control of one.

Before Ventress could notice or even ready herself for the blow, the massive shadow punched into her like a missile.

She pitched forward, almost taking Leia's head off as she fell. Leia took the opportunity and rolled clear, seizing her lightsaber, just as Ventress got to her feet, ready to fight.

But that didn't matter as Ventress was once again confronted by the massive fly and its rider.

The hunting fly hovered and darted with the precision of a remote, rising vertically from a dead stop and then hanging in the air, seeming motionless except for a blur of wings that buzzed like a high-speed rotor.

Rifles clicked and whirled in unison as the battle droids took aim.

"Hold fire!" Ventress barked, surprising Leia. She flung out her arm in a stop gesture. "Hit him, and you kill the Hutt."

"You catch on quick," Anakin said, drawing his lightsaber. "I'd like my Padawan back, please."

He clung grimly to the hunting fly one-handed as it ran past Ventress, creating its own downdraft. As Anakin swooped, he tried to reach and pull Leia onboard. Leia frowned at the unsuccessful attempt. Whatever he was trying to do, it wasn't working. The creature's wings made a close approach next to impossible. Ventress spun defensively as the hunting fly zipped up and the platform like a starfighter out of control, flicking it's joined tail and snapping its mandibles. Leia couldn't blame her, she wouldn't want to be run down by that heavy thing either.

Anakin seemed to struggle with the fly as it didn't seem to be enjoying the ride any more than him.

Leia sighed. How come she was always the one to end up in these kinds of situations?

"Any time now, Princess." Urged Anakin impatiently. The hunting fly was getting more aggressive and panicky by the second, shying from the lightsabers and flexing its long body as if it was trying to buck.

Leia grimaced, if he expected for her to run around like an idiot trying to get on that thing, while with her height it was the same as impossible, he would have to be disappointed. The platform beneath her boots shook.

Leia glanced over the edge; only one way to go.

The horizon tilted violently as the permacrete slab snapped cleanly away from the wall and hung at a forty-five-degree angle for a few final moments, supported only by a few massive buckets, which were pulling free one by one under the sheer weight of the structure.

Leia leaped toward the jungle, into the sudden void, just as Anakin yelled, "Jump!"

He caught her mid-air and Leia scrambled facedown to get a grip with her legs.

Leia settled astride the fly just behind its wings, in front of Anakin. She looked behind her to see Artoo safely follow them with its astromech's jets ablaze. Who knew the droid could fly?

"They're not shooting at us." Leia pointed out with a frown.

"They can't risk hurting the Hutt," Anakin said.

Leia's frown deepened, "But doesn't that mean she still plans to get him back somehow?"

Anakin's silence was the only answer she got.

She sighed, "I don't get why they poisoned him in the first place then, but they never did make much sense." She said, thinking back to the Empire. What has the galaxy come to; all in favor of power. And even with all this fighting, the Jedi hadn't managed to stop it in time.

"Why do you hide your Force presence, Leia?" Anakin asked suddenly.

Leia stilled.

"I guess I'm just uncomfortable with others being able to sense my feelings along with my Force potential that easily." Not a lie, but not the complete truth either. Leia wasn't sure she could tell him even if she wanted to without the Jedi Council's notice. If it were up to her, she wouldn't tell him at all; she didn't want Anakin to look at her all funny like Obi-Wan had.

She didn't want to see the suspicion that would follow as well. Or the questions.

"When we get close enough to solid ground, Princess, jump, and run."

"You think it's going to be that dangerous?"

"It's an ornithopter with the mind of a wimp rat, and we fought it by luring it with a mating call, so work it out for yourself."

Leia was confused until she understood that he was talking about the fly and not what they might encounter on their destination.

"I thought you were good with animals." Wasn't that a requirement for a Jedi or something?

"Machines. I'm good with machines."

Leia felt her throat tighten at those words.

She glowered at the landing platform as they got nearer. She could see that the ship standing on it was a freighter that Luke would have probably called a piece of junk. Leia wouldn't have disagreed with him.

"I can get anything to fly. But I pushed my luck with this guy." Continued Anakin, but Leia barely heard him.

She missed him. She missed him so much.

"Rotta's isn't sounding very good, Master," Leia said, needing to concentrate on something else. To feel useful. And he did sound pretty bad.

"He's up one moment and down the next, and he's still alive. Do you know how hard it is to kill a Hutt? You can't even poison them. They regrow body parts. They can live for a thousand years. Rotta isn't some delicate snowbloom or anything."

But she had killed one, hadn't she? Jabba had executed Han and wanted to hurt Luke, so it was natural that she had retaliated. In anger, but Leia was justified for feeling that way, wasn't she?

"What did they ever do to you?"

It wasn't Anakin who had seen his friend be killed right in front of him.

"I spent too much time with them to ever like them. And that's all you need to know."

Leia shook her head, "That's not good enough." She whispered.

"What?"

"I said, that's not good enough." She repeated louder, with more conviction.

"What do you mean 'it's not good enough'?"

Leia shrugged. She didn't have to tell him podoo.

"Leia…" Anakin let out a frustrated breath. "You know this Master and Padawan thing has to work both ways, right?"

"Your point?"

"My point is that you'll have to learn to trust me eventually."

Leia scoffed, "You don't trust me either. Why on galaxy should I trust you?"

Anakin stiffened. "I'm your Master, it's my job to guide you, and I can't do that if you refuse to confide in me."

Well, that's too bad, because that wasn't good enough for Leia.

"And did you confide in your Master when you first became his Padawan? Even before you were sure you could trust him completely?"

Anakin hesitated, "That's… I was different."

"And I'm not?" Leia challenged.

Anakin didn't answer.

Typical, concluded Leia. He didn't want to talk about his past, yet she was expected to talk about hers.

"Almost there…I'll make the fly settle with a Force-push and hold it there while you get away with Rotta. Then I'll back away, release the Force-hold, and hope it flies off relieved to be rid of us."

They began to drop at a shallow angle. Weeds and surface cracks in the permacrete platform passed beneath. Anakin brought the fly down a safe distance from the edge, end held the creature in position as Leia scrambled to release the backpack. She hauled Rotta clear, strangely glad to once again have him in her arms, and ran for the shelter of a tree nearby.

Leia struggled not to get fussy over the Huttlet, as she waited for Anakin to rejoin them. Rotta gurgled as Leia pulled him out of the backpack, scrunching up her nose in disgust at the mess. She didn't seem to have a choice but to give him a quick rinse from her water bottle.

Once done with that particularly unpleasant task, she stuffed the now once again cheerful Huttlet into the backpack and walked over to the freighter.

"Defeatist." Said Anakin patting Artoo on his cranial dome. "We've fixed worse. Hey, Princess-I'll show you how to hotwire a ship. Essential Jedi training they tend to omit at the Temple."

Leia's mood worsened. "No need. It's not the first time I'm taking a stolen vehicle." Besides that fact, who was it she couldn't help but pick it up from? The Rebel Alliance? Her former guardian? Han?

Probably Luke, decided Leia. While many knew their way around mechanics Leia never paid enough attention to learn much. But Luke had been obsessed with fixing things and considering how much time they had spent together, it wasn't at all surprising that some things stuck with her.

"You have water splashes on your clothing." Anakin pointed out suddenly.

Leia looked down distractedly. It was true, she must have gotten wet while taking care of the Huttlet.

"I gave Rotta a rinse from my water bottle, he seemed like he really needed it."

"Good thinking." Praised Anakin, watching her carefully. Leia understood then that he'd pointed it out as a distraction, something to bring her out of her thoughts. She didn't like the way he seemed to get better at reading her.

The main hatch popped and air hissed from the seals. Leia stood back and let the ramp lower.

"Can I help you?" said a voice from behind.

Leia's eyes widened.

"Hey, you're that caretaker droid!" She exclaimed, staring at the 4A-7 from before, the one she hadn't been allowed to destroy. "I thought you looked after the monastery. What are you doing here?"

"Taking care of myself." The droid bowed his head. Seemingly unconcerned by Leia's distrustful gaze that promised repercussions if one wrong move was made. "The monastery has been utterly defiled again. I thought those Hutt gangsters were bad enough, but the droid army has reached new depths of profanity." He glanced at Rotta. "No offense, little one. Your path in life may yet be innocent."

"So this is your ship," said Anakin. Leia didn't like how friendly he sounded. "You're leaving?"

"I've retrieved the few holy scrolls and devotional artifacts that have not been pillaged or destroyed, and I shall keep them safe until I find monks who'll accept them." 4A-7 indicated the packing crates stacked nearby. "Yes, I intend to leave this wretched place, and as soon as possible."

"So do we," Anakin said glancing at Leia who was glowering at the droid, her hand on her lightsaber. "Shall we leave together, then? If you don't mind, I can think of a few."

"A reasonable suggestion, sir. Please, board my vessel and make yourselves comfortable. The monks I served believed that giving aid freely to another being was the highest form of worship."

Did they now? Leia glanced at Anakin with a raised eyebrow. Why not just get rid of the caretaker droid and take the ship for themselves? Standing to the side of the hatch Anakin gave Leia a reprimanding look and gestured for her to board the ship. Leia sighed, rolling her eyes. Artoo was still trundling around checking its undercarriage and making critical beeps. Putting one foot on the ramp, Leia at the same time reached trough the Force wanting to make sure Anakin was right and that it was indeed safe.

She probably wouldn't have sensed it if she hadn't learned by now how to distinguish droid presence even in the awash of Force disruptions within combat zones. Or maybe it was because she didn't trust there not to be trouble of some kind on every turn she made.

She stilled, listening intently. Then raised her head, a sheer look of boldness full determination and promise of destruction entering her expression.

"Princess?"

"Artoo," she said quietly, ignoring Anakin. "Artoo, take Rotta for me, okay? Not for long, just for a few minutes."

"Smell finally got to you, then?" Thankfully, Anakin seemed to take her cue. He watched Artoo take the pack and roll quietly away from the ship. "No throwing up, okay?"

She held her arms loose at her sides and confidently took another step up the ramp.

"We really must make a move now, sir," 4A-7 said. "The fighting here is escalating. We don't want to be trapped here."

"Why the sudden hurry?" Asked Leia.

She'd drawn her lightsaber even before the first metal boot had a chance to hit the ramp. A pair of battle droids suddenly appeared at the hatch, barring her way. They opened fire. Leia charged at them striking aside the blaster bolts and slitting into their mechanical bodies. She rushed inside the ship, taking care of more droids hiding inside.

Done with that particular task she ran back outside toward Anakin and the 4A-7.

"I knew we couldn't trust you," she raged. "Traitors the lot of you."

"No, I'm not a traitor," 4A-7 said. "I'm just not on your side. I serve another government, one no less valid than yours. There is always more than one side to any story, youngling."

Didn't Leia know it. After all, she had been on that other side. A rebel, no matter how young. But her ideals could never be wavered; she had long ago dedicated herself to the idea of a Republic. A voice. A democracy. No matter how old or new.

"Too bad that my programming is a little different than yours then." She said then swung her lightsaber.

4A-7's head hit the ground before rolling to the foot of the ramp.

"Stupid scrap of metal." She doubted even Luke could have had much use of it. Not when it would've needed some serious reprogramming. And in Leia's experience, nothing could ever be fully erased. Or fixed.

"You could call it that." Said Anakin, watching Leia with that odd look again.

She whirled on him.

"I thought you said he was 'just a service droid'!" She fumed. Reciting his words from before-when she wanted to destroy it and he wouldn't let her.

Anakin grimaced, "No need to get riled up, Princess. There was no way to tell he was in league with Ventress."

Artoo rolled up the ramp carrying Rotta. Anakin turned to fallow him inside the ship, with Leia raging after him.

"That's beside the point!"

Anakin sighed. "Yes, you were right," he relented, sealing the hatch behind them. "Happy?"

"No, but that will have to do, for now."

Anakin chuckled. "Glad to see you're humble about it," he teased.

She glared at him. Of course, he was finding her annoyance funny.

oOo

****Edited****

**Review! **


	4. Chapter 4

While Anakin went to work on the control panel of the ship, Leia relieved Artoo of Rotta.

"Thanks, Artoo." She said to the droid, though she felt awkward doing so. She was starting to think of him as R2-D2, which was beyond demented. This time-travel thing was starting to mess with her head.

Yet, perhaps, for that very same reason, she couldn't bring herself to ask Anakin for Artoo's full model number.

Artoo chirped some kind of response and rolled away.

"Let's get out of here." Said Anakin, pressing on a bunch of buttons on the control panel. The engine whirled then died down.

"Yes, let's." Said Leia mockingly.

She sat down on the co-pilot seat, setting the Huttlet onto her lap, and watched, unimpressed, as Anakin unsuccessfully tried to revive the engines again.

"Come on," Anakin mumbled impatiently. "Artoo, see if you can spark the ignition couplers."

Leia slumped farther into her seat, huffing.

Artoo chirped and Leia assumed he'd gone to work. She closed her eyes briefly. How long had it been till she last slept? Not that she ever got much sleep with the nightmares that plagued her dreams.

"No, that's not it. Try opening the fuel lifters all the way." Advised Anakin after yet another failed attempt.

The ship's lights lit up.

"Good job, buddy." Praised Anakin as the engines rumbled to life.

They lifted into the air-up and running.

"Master Obi-Wan is here," Anakin said.

Leia opened her eyes. In the distance, on the very same cliff that now seemed like a tower among all the clouds, LAAT/i gunships surrounded the plateau.

"Great, it means we can now focus on our own mission."

"Troops still need our help, charge the main cons."

"How do you suppose we help them in this piece of junk? Besides, Master, might I remind you that the Huttlet who's getting sicker by the minute is our main priority here?"

"But we've promised Rex we'd help him."

"You mean you promised." She groaned. "At least get him to the medics on the cruiser, maybe they can help him," Rotta whined as if in full agreement and Leia couldn't help but feel sorry for the little guy. Maybe he was a Hutt, and it didn't help that Jabba was his father, but by saving him she could perhaps redeem herself a little bit and relieve some of the guilt she constantly carried. She was sure that Luke, ever the mediator, would have agreed.

After a short pause, Anakin opened a comlink. "Captain Rex, this is General Skywalker."

"Go ahead, sir."

"Apologies for vanishing. Been a little busy."

"Comm working now sir?"

"Ah, yes… we've got a problem, Rex. The Hutt kid is getting sicker. I've commanded a ship and I'm going to transfer the kid to Admiral Yularen's vessel. We're not going to be able to get to you yet. I'm sorry."

Leia breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe the Huttlet would survive after all.

"The mission comes first, sir, you'd heave to wait in line anyway-Cody's lads have taken all the best seats. We can't move for orange stripy armor. Hurts the eye."

Anakin paused. "So you don't need us, then."

"We're fine sir. Good luck with the Hutt. I'll let General Kenobi know you're okay because he's just gone looking for you in the monastery."

"I didn't want to waste his time."

"Oh, I don't think he'll mind, sir."

"He'll probably take the opportunity to catch up on old times with Ventress." Anakin laughed, but without any real humor.

The link closed.

"See, I told you they would be fine." Said Leia closing her eyes again.

"You're tired."

Leia lifted her eyelids and turned to look at Anakin.

"And you're changing the subject."

"A habit we seem to share." Anakin said, giving Leia a meaningful look.

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

She turned her head to look at the windshield. They were taking a direct course: right above the jungle combat zone and up through the atmosphere into space that was crawling with V-19 fighters, vulture droids, and warships. Even at maximum thrust, the ship was slow. If she'd been with Luke he would have probably moaned about the speed nonstop. He'd always lacked patience. Not that Leia was much better.

The freighter shuddered as it climbed. Leia watched bursts of white light flare against the sky. She glanced at the ship's sensors. She could see the cruiser's transponder on the screen, surrounded by smaller pinpoints of light, indicating Republic and Sep fighters.

Just one of the many battles of a war that would be lost anyway.

"Do you enjoy fighting?" Leia asked Anakin suddenly.

"What?"

"Fighting, for some reason you seem to crave it."

"I don't crave it. It's a Jedi's duty to protect."

Leia shook her hear. "No, I think you do. Otherwise, you wouldn't have sounded disappointed when Rex said you weren't needed."

"I didn't sound disappointed."

"Sure you didn't."

Anakin sighed exasperated, "I just worry I won't be there if they need me."

"So it's a hero complex?" She asked, quirking her eyebrow.

Anakin glowered at her.

She rolled her eyes. "It's just a question, no need to get all offended."

"I'm not offended."

"If you say so."

They began to approach the cruiser. Leia tried to remember its name, but she was too tired to bother. She was pretty sure it was Spirit, or something similar.

Leia didn't like their odds. Any moment now a Sep sensor officer or a vulture could notice the freighter on their screen.

"Hang on to our slippery friend, Princess. Here we go."

"Yes, Master." Leia figured that the best thing she could do was agree and hold off any side remarks she felt like making. Luke used to always complain about those, especially when he was piloting. Apparently, they tended to add to peer pressure.

Anakin opened the comm. "General Skywalker to Jedi cruiser, we need hanger bay access. I say again, we need hanger bay access urgently."

A blip appeared instantly on the screen. A vulture had dropped out of nowhere and was skimming just above the cockpit, matching their speed. They didn't have any laser cannons to fire.

Something hit the freighter hard. Rivets flew from the internal bulkheads as they flexed under the impact. They had taken a hit. Leia watched anxiously as Anakin struggled to hold it on course.

"Maybe this wasn't the best idea after all…," Leia drawled in contempt.

"Nearly there. Hang on."

On what? Leia could see the cruiser and hanger now. The outline of the opening was picked out in hazard lighting. She also saw a ball of energy heading directly at the freighter, coming straight from the cruiser's aft cannon position.

"Brace!" Anakin yelled. "Leia, brace!"

Leia wanted to scream at him, tell him that she had eyes of her own, and was aware of the danger herself.

Leia clutched the Huttlet tighter to her chest, holding on for dear life.

The cannon round hit the cockpit and Leia felt the shock-wave travel through her whole body. The freighter shook violently.

"Why are they firing at us!?" Leia screeched. The cruiser still had its deflector shield up.

Anakin opened the comm again. "Jedi cruiser, this is General Skywalker, this is a Republic friendly, repeat freighter Twilight is a Republic friendly, hold fire, hold fire."

The comm popped in response. "Freighter Twilight, you're showing a CIS military transponder code…your call."

Leia cursed. Why hadn't they checked the transponder? She should have thought of it. Of course, the 4A-7 would have made sure his own forces didn't fire on him and his detachment. Blasted droid.

"Jedi cruiser, this is Skywalker. We're crawling with vultures and we need to drop off a very sick Huttlet. Open the hanger. Please."

After a second's pause, Admiral Yularen's voice came from the comm. "Skywalker, we're going to drop the deflectors, but we need to lose those vultures. Divert to the aft hangar, I repeat, aft hangar. And check your transponder next time you commandeer an enemy vessel. We've had a few suicide runs before, and we shoot first."

She would have been delighted by the critique directed at her Master, if not for the nervousness she felt at that moment.

"Yes, Admiral," Anakin said. "Stand by for a possible crash landing."

Anakin jerked the Twilight violently to port, leaving pursuing vultures wrong-footed for a vital moment, and looped under the cruiser. Leia sucked in a breath as Rotta shrieked, and the freighter came about facing the cruiser's stern. The hanger doors were open.

The vultures were still pursuing, hammering the hill with laser cannons. How the crate was still holding together Leia wasn't sure, but she was sure glad that it did.

Time seemed to go in slow motion. The vultures were still with them. Leia knew her Master couldn't do a deck landing with them still clinging. The ones in charge of the cruiser knew it too and opened up with precision lasers. One vulture shattered and cartwheeled away, showering red-hot debris on the cockpit viewport.

The next shot hit a vulture with unerring accuracy, too. Which suddenly turned into a ball of flame tumbling ahead of the freighter's nose. It streaked into the hanger, and all Leia could see was a ball of fire and smoke where sanctuary should have been.

"Pull up! Pull up!"

"Abort, abort, abort!"

Leia closed her eyes tightly; just as Anakin jerked back on the yoke and sent the freighter climbing vertically. They wouldn't be able to go for another approach now. Not when the cruiser and it's hanger crew had its hands full with all the damage and casualties.

What's worse, they still had vultures hot on their tail.

"Now what?"

"I can't outrun them," Anakin said.

"Fine, then we jettison something," Leia said instantly. She had seen it done and have done it herself multiple times. Especially when those vehicles had been stolen. No one ever missed a cargo that wasn't even theirs.

Laser cannon fire streaked past Twilight's nose, and another vulture droid buzzed the ship, close to the cockpit viewpoint. Anakin jerked hard to starboard.

"What? Can't dump fuel." Anakin checked the gauges. "It's not like it weights enough to make a difference, and we've got to get to Tatooine."

Leia groaned. "I know _that_. I meant water, ballast, whatever we can find."

"I didn't check the cargo bay."

"Obviously." She stood up, strapping Rotta in the copilot's seat. "I'll do it." She said, making her way aft, not giving Anakin a chance to object.

"Wait, Leia-...," Anakin began, but she'd already disappeared through the cockpit hatch.

Leia made her way into the cargo bay; there were plenty of crates, and the reserve water tanks were showing full. That would make, what, six tons? It would certainly be enough.

She walked to the tanks and opened their drains. Then backed away, making sure nothing heavy would hit her from behind when she hit the red button next to her.

She opened the cockpit intercom. "I'm ready. Master?"

"Wait, did you make sure…-"

"Yes." She said, cutting him off with utmost certainty.

"How can you be certain if you're not letting me finish?"

"I just am."

An exasperated sigh. "Leia, I don't know if you're aware, but it's my job to make sure that everything runs smoothly and I can't do that when you refuse to listen to me."

"Me? It's you who's not listening when I say, that I know what I'm doing."

"Fine, did you at least check behind you to make sure nothing heavy is going to slide out the back and hit you when you hit the big red button?"

"Yes!" She said irritated. What was she, dumb?

There was a crackling silence, then he was back on the intercom. "Okay, Princess, I'll trust you on this."

Another pause.

"Hit it."

Leia did. Leia grabbed onto the railing just as the hatch opened, sucking everything into the endless space like a whirlwind. She struggled to lever herself as the pressure tried to suck her backward into the void.

Gritting her teeth, she concentrated all her straight into one movement boosting it trough her focus in the Force, and hauled herself forward, punching the red button.

The hatch closed. Leia grunted as she fell face-down, the impact punching all air out of her lungs.

"Ow." She moaned.

Slowly, she picked herself up-back on her feet. She rolled her shoulder, trying to get rid of the stiffness.

"You okay, Princess?" She heard Anakin ask trough the intercom.

She didn't bother answering, making her way back to the cockpit instead.

"I'm fine." She told Anakin.

"Prepare to jump to hyperspace."

Prepare, prepare how?

She freed Rotta from the seat, who giggled in delight, happy to see Leia again, and slumped back into it, once again placing Rotta on her lap. At least someone was glad to see her alive. She didn't bother to look at Anakin. Still feeling offended by his lack of faith in her capabilities. She was not helpless.

"Ready, here we go." Anakin hit the control. The stars became white-hot streaks as the ship jumped through hyperspace.

All she wanted to do was go home and have some much-needed sleep.

Home.

Where was that again?

For Leia, it had never been so much about the place, but the people surrounding her. First, it had been Alderaan, then the Rebel Alliance, or more accurately, whatever secret base or ship they decided to stash her in next. And then Tatooine, but that hadn't lasted long either and she had to make do with whatever place she and Luke found themselves in next while on the run from the Empire. Hiding. Always hiding.

But here, the Jedi Temple, it didn't hold the same value as all of those other places once had. It didn't feel like a place she wanted to go back to. There was nothing that made her feel needed or safe there.

Besides, she couldn't afford to get attached.

Leia sighed, lifting her head to look at Rotta. In a way, just like him, she was going home. Just that Tatooine wasn't the same without Luke or his aunt. Or Han. She hesitated, frowning.

His aunt - she had to be alive now, along with his uncle. And what about Luke's grandmother, Shmi?

"What is it Leia?" Asked Anakin.

Leia shook her head, brushing that thought aside.

She cleared her throat, "Nothing," she said tightly. There was no reason to linger on things that were beyond her reach. "I think I better go and check that med droid in the hold." She said hurriedly, picking herself from her seat.

Maybe going back to Tatooine wasn't such a great idea, after all, no matter the timeline.

oOo

Anakin Skywalker sat in the cockpit, composing a message to his secret wife, glossing over events of the last few days and instead concentrating on how much he missed her. Since he couldn't comm from hyperspace he also recorded a message for Rex. Once the mission was over, there was a large hole to plug in the 501st, good men who would be missed. And it wasn't a simple matter of replacing numbers.

He wondered how many times he would go through this before the war was over.

"Better make sure we have operational cannon before we land, Artoo," he said. "Leave the deflector shield for later."

The astromech rumbled out behind an open bulkhead panel with tools in his claspers and whistled. He had it in hand, he said, but nobody could expect a freighter to hold its own against a military vessel. It was down to pilot skill in the end.

"No pressure, then," Anakin said.

He wondered where his new Padawan was. He found that he didn't like it when she was missing from his viewpoint for too long, she was too unpredictable to be left alone.

He leaned back into the pilot's seat, brushing a hand against his face. He was sure she was still with the Huttlet and the TB-2 droid who'd been examining him.

Anakin didn't know what the Council was thinking, entrusting him with the responsibility of taking care of a twelve-year-old kid, and in the middle of an ongoing war. And while Leia seemed more than capable, Anakin didn't feel like taking on the responsibility of not only her safety but upbringing too. What did he know about teaching? He wasn't ready for an apprentice. Especially one like Leia.

Never once in his lifetime had he met a Padawn such as her. She was so young, yet at the same time, she had that haunted look of someone who knew what it was like to lose everything.

He remembered the petrified look in her eyes, in the Republic gunship, on the way to Teth. There had to be a story behind that kind of look Anakin knew all too well. Nonetheless, Leia wasn't easy to read, and making her talk had proven to be an even bigger challenge. Maybe he could find out more about her at the Temple, once they were done with this mission. He would be making some suggestions too. Leia was just…too young, and if he was right, she also had some lasting experiences that she was struggling with. No way was he bringing a traumatized kid into yet another battlefield.

But again, if Leia was anyone else, a war survivor, perhaps, it would have made perfect sense, but she was a Jedi Padawan. All younglings were taken care of and sheltered at the Temple-having been taken in at a very young age. Anakin had been an exception. One they wouldn't have made if Master Quin-Gon Jinn hadn't insisted Anakin was the Chosen One. That's why Leia was a complete mystery. A mysterious burden he had no time for.

He stood up, making his way to the crew quarters. He was just going to check on the Hutt, that's it, he told himself.

He found her alright, slumped over the scan table, her head resting on her elbow; her long brown hair pulled into a high ponytail, a Padawan's braid hanging from her left ear over her shoulder. Her brilliantly white attire now looked dusty and ruffled from all the previous action. Her unscarred cheek was turned towards him, her breathing even; a slight frown between her eyebrows even in her slumber. Still, there was no mistaking from her soft and small features, just how young she was.

From the first moment he saw her, he knew she looked familiar to him, eventually making him think of his beloved wife-Padmé. It pained him, which in turn made him act in an even more insensitive manner toward her.

_Did you kill_ _them_? Rang Leia's question once again in his mind. Those words still chilled him. At that moment he'd thought that she somehow knew-like when she accused him of being a murderer at Crystal city-about the Tusken Riders, about what he did. The possibility bothered him. But he didn't feel ashamed or guilty, he told himself. They had gotten what they deserve for what they did to his mother. He might kill people, but never without a reason.

It didn't matter anyway; Leia didn't know, couldn't. Only a few knew, not even Obi-Wan and Anakin were set on keeping it that way.

Anakin guessed she must have unintentionally fallen asleep while taking care of the Huttlet who was snoring peacefully on that very same table she was resting on. He sighed, rubbing his face tiredly. He debated leaving her like this or moving her to one of the bunk beds when she stirred.

"No, no, no," She mumbled in her sleep.

Anakin frowned, unsure. It was weird, not being able to reach through the Force and determine if she was in any real distress. Whenever he tried to do that he would get a mare impression of a Force-presence, but whenever he would try to get a read on her, he would come up blank. You could even mistake her for a non-Force-sensitive if you didn't know any better. It was a rare ability, difficult to master, especially at such a young age.

"No, no, Han!" She stressed in her sleep. Concerned, Anakin touched her shoulder gently.

Leia jumped, flinching. Blinking, she looked around the room disoriented and panicky, as if searching for something, or someone. When she couldn't find what she seemed to be looking for, her eyes fell on Anakin. The raw fear and grief he saw in those eyes for a moment alarmed him, but then she blinked, and it was gone.

She took a few deep breaths before speaking. "Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"You were having a nightmare."

Leia stiffened. "Yeah, must've been all the excitement." She looked away, her gaze falling on the Huttlet instead. "He's still asleep, good. I've given him the medication and it seems to be working fine. So that's good."

"What was it about?" Anakin wanted to know.

Leia frowned, "What?"

"The dream."

Leia shook her head, looking everywhere but at him "Nothing important."

It was Anakin's turn to scowl, "It didn't seem that way."

Leia shook her head, "I don't remember it anyway." Anakin began to feel frustrated. He knew she was lying to him again.

"I think we should move Rotta to the cockpit, that way we can keep a better eye on him." Before Anakin could reply, she jumped into action, searching for something until coming up with a blanket. She wrapped the ugly little slug in it, working with absolute concentration, barely paying any attention to Anakin or anything else.

"Leia…"

"Leave it." She said sharply. Brown eyes stared into his, unflinching, cautioning him not to push any further. What stopped him though was the vulnerability in those very same eyes: one wrong move and she would lash out. Gathering up the Huttlet, Leia left the crew quarters, leaving a confused Anakin behind. He watched her leave, his frustration turning into concern. Just like that time in Crystal City he felt as though it was his responsibility. To make sure she was alright. It irked him. She was freezing him out and for some strange reason, it stung.

oOo

Once again in the cockpit, slumped over the co-pilot's seat, Leia rubbed her eyes, getting rid of any signs of sleepiness left. Not only did she accidentally fall asleep, but she also felt just as exhausted, if not more, as before. Nightmares always tended to leave her completely drained, that's why she preferred to wake herself up multiple times during the night; that way her unconsciousness couldn't take the time to form any scenarios to torture her with, in her exhaustion. Though this time it didn't seem to matter that she'd been asleep for barely half-an-hour. She still got to relive the death of Han and the feeling of complete helplessness.

Leia sighed. But what did she expect? For it to get better? How? She was in a middle of yet another battle, she had no business in being, with a possible murderer as her Master, going back to the planet where one of her friends was executed before her very eyes, where she also then killed a crime lord in retaliation, completely consumed by rage. Not only that, but Tatooine used to be a save-heaven of sorts. Maybe the planet was dreadful, but what she'd once found there was invaluable. A family, the feeling of safety and trust. Luke, the only one who had been able to keep those very same nightmares at bay-who made every bleak day seem much more positive than it otherwise would have been.

She had never imagined herself coming back, not without Luke. Not with Beru dead. Even the thought that Luke's aunt and uncle were still alive couldn't cheer her up. How could it, if they would end up dead anyway? Should she try to change that too? But wouldn't that make it worse? One mistake and she could end up erasing Luke, or herself, or anyone else she knew-will know. But then, what was the point in all of this?

She glanced back at Rotta who was still asleep on the ledge. Was she really doing the right thing-bringing him back to his father?

The Twilight dropped out of hyperspace facing the twin suns, its viewport filters reducing the glare to an average haze. Tatooine was just a black disk against the light.

"Ready, Artoo? Leia? Rotta?" Asked Anakin in the pilot's seat beside her.

After their confrontation in the crew quarters, he'd left her alone, knowing not to push and Leia was thankful for that.

Every cell in Leia's body rebelled against the idea of going back. She closed her eyes briefly, tightening her inner restraints.

She forced herself to nod. "Yes, ready."

"Okay, this is it. Leia, watch the scanner for anything that isn't supposed to be there."

Leia did as told. It was better than staring at the familiar planet's surface as it beckoned her home.

Anakin set the Twilight on course.

Leia's fists clenched nervously, as she struggled with her mixed emotions. They would hit the atmosphere soon.

She noticed two traces on the scanner just as the sensor alarms sounded.

"We've got company. Two traces on the scanner, moving straight for us," said Leia.

Bang. Something smashed into the Twilight's hull. Laserfire.

"Leia, stand by. I need to do a little maneuvering." Anakin said, swinging the freighter in a tight loop, coming to face the attacking ships.

Leia checked the scanner's magnified image expecting vultures, but what Leia could make out in the raw light from the twin suns were bulbous looking starfighters with heavy laser cannons on both wings.

"What are those?"

"MangaGuard fighters-the elite personal guard of General Grievous," Anakin said.

Yet another unfamiliar name to be added to Leia's largely growing list.

The two MagnaGuard fighters peeled away in opposite directions. Leia guessed they were looping to start an attack on Anakin's blind spots.

Anakin squeezed the button set in the steering yoke. White bolts of energy streaked towards the fighter who'd been the one to flash in the reticle of the targeting array, swallowing it in a ball of fire.

Leia knew better than to expect the other one to go down just as easily. It was a lucky shot and she had to give kudos to her Master for being able to make one, but that was probably the most luck they would be getting. The other MagnaGuard was nowhere to be seen. Then a trace showed up on the scanner again, probably making a run on the Twilight's stern.

She was right. Laserfire smacked into the cargo bay section, setting off alarms across the console and throughout the ship. Leia grimaced, snapping off her restraints. There was a hill breach; atmosphere was venting. Not only that, but the Huttlet was bawling, woken up from his slumber. The hull creaked and screamed as if something was to shear off.

"Hang on," Anakin said, as if there were something else they could do. "I think we lost a maneuvering thruster as well."

Yeah, no kidding. The freighter rolled. Leia dived in, grabbing Rotta before he had a chance to roll off the ledge. The R2-droid thrust out a clasper arm to steady himself. Lucky droid. Leia grabbed onto the ledge, steadying herself. The ship shuddered again as more laser rounds hit it. Somehow Leia managed to make it back to her seat, falling into it, with Rotta, who was cheering happily, still in her arms.

"Artoo, can you move the forward cannon past its safe range?" Anakin said. "I need to move it one-eighty degrees."

The droid plunged a probe into a console and beeped.

"I think that's going to be academic, buddy," Anakin said.

If she was going to survive this, promised Leia, she was definitely going to ask Anakin to teach her some Binary.

More direct hits shook the freighter. "We won't have much hull left at this rate anyway."

The R2 burbled to himself, and Anakin seemed to wait for something. To think that Leia's life was currently depending on a droid. Maybe it would make more sense if this was R2-D2 they were talking about.

"Artoo, sometimes before we plummet in flames would be good…" Anakin urged.

The Twilight shuddered dramatically as if in its death throes. Leia closed her eyes tightly, expecting a ball of flame to come rolling through the ship any time now. When nothing happened, she opened her eyes to see the scanner showing an expanding ball of hot debris in the freighter's wake.

Leia let out a relieved breath she'd been holding. The MagnaGuard fighter was gone. The R2-droid spun his done antenna in celebration, whistling happily and Leia laughed, making Rotta gurgle cheerfully.

"Nice shot, Artoo," Anakin said. "I'll be out of the job soon if I don't buck up. If we useless meat-bags don't make it through landing-you know where to take Rotta."

Leia frowned in confusion, not expecting to hear those kinds of words from her Master at all.

"Sorry, Princess. I got you into this." Anakin said seriously, not looking at her but straight ahead.

Leia's eyes widened, but then she glared at him. "Now is not the time to be melodramatic!"

Seriously!? Leia did not travel back in time to just die on Tatooine of all places.

"Master, this is Anakin. Are you receiving me? I'm making a crash landing on Tatooine. Rotta's alive, hostiles in pursuit, and…"

The comm frequency got lost on reentry.

"Huh, guess we'll have to survive after all, or who's going to find our dead bodies? I'm pretty sure Jabba's going to feed them to some monstrosity before the Jedi could even have the time to make the decision to collect them."

"Leia!" Anakin said, turning to glower at her. "This is serious."

"I did not survive just to die here!" She shouted, her own eyes tearing up as she stared at Anakin's.

"Good," Anakin said, his expression softening as he looked at her. "Brace for impact, because this is going to hurt a bit."

oOo

****Edited****

**Review!**


	5. Chapter 5

The Twilight was full of fire-suppressants, foam, sand, and smoke. But just like Leia hoped, it landed, and everyone was alive.

She secured Rotta once again in the backpack over her shoulders. She was hesitant at first, but then scrambled clear after Anakin.

The twin-suns greeted her, but the desert looked just as empty and lifeless as she remembered. It wasn't always like that though, or was it? It looked bleaker somehow, not as welcoming. But it never had been welcoming. It was Luke, all Luke.

"Princess, have you got a comm channel to me or off-planet?

Leia stared at the distance. How far was Jabba's palace again? Has she forgotten? But how could she, when it was the place where she lost the last of her innocence, where a friend had been killed and she'd killed herself.

"Leia!"

Leia's head jerked to the side as she looked up at Anakin. "What?"

"I asked if you've got a comm channel to me or off planet." He repeated while frowning at her.

Leia checked the comlink on her wrist. Only static greeted her. "No, it's just noise."

"They've jammed everything, then. I'd hoped I lost Kenobi's signal because of reentry, but obviously, the Seps are getting smarter." Anakin pulled the hood of his tunic over his head, probably to protect himself from the blistering sun. Leia herself didn't mind it, having kind of missed it. Besides, the heat wouldn't be that bad until afternoon, and unlike Anakin's-her attire was much lighter in color.

"You okay?"

She stared up at him, not really seeing him. Was she okay? She didn't know; they'd have to wait and see.

"Fine."

She hesitantly turned around in a circle, looking for any signs of similarity that would indicate where exactly they were. But it seemed all the same to her.

"Where are we?"

"Dune Sea. Come here," He said, beckoning her forward, she walked up to him. "There," Anakin said, gesturing to the horizon at a cluster of turrets and domes shimmering in the heat haze. "That's Jabba's palace, and we've got a few hours' walk ahead. Not a great idea in this heat."

Leia nodded, aware of the harsh desert conditions.

Dune Sea. He probably meant Northern Dune Sea, of course. Right next to Bantha Plains. It was a long way from Lars Homestead. An impassible destination without a vehicle of some kind.

"I'll take the Hutt. You grab as many water bottles as you can carry."

Leia nodded distractedly without looking at him. She shouldn't long for things that were beyond her reach, she knew. Turning away, she concentrated on her task instead.

Having collected as many bottles as she could find, Leia stared at the sand below. Behind her R2-D2 rumbled out of the wreckage, beeping plaintively. Leia guessed he was just as hesitant as her, but for a different reason.

"What is it with both of you suddenly? Leia, come on." Anakin said from below.

Leia shook her head, backing away. "No, maybe me and Artoo should stay here."

"Don't be ridiculous Leia, a walk in the desert isn't going to kill you." Leia knew she was being unreasonable, but she felt as if putting one foot on the sand below would mean she'd never be able to leave again. Just like Han.

"Leia, it's okay," Anakin said in a gentler voice. "I'm gonna keep you safe, but I can't do that if you stay here. The desert is a dangerous place."

She knew that. But what if something happened and she got lost? This time no one would come looking for her. But looking at Anakin's open expression, she knew he wasn't lying when he told her he would do his best to keep her safe.

"Okay." She breathed out. Slowly, she reached for Anakin's out-stretched hand, grasping it in hers as she jumped down to the sand below. She shuddered, despite the heat, momentarily tightening her grip.

"I'm okay." She assured him, letting go. She wasn't sure who was she lying to; him, or herself.

She pushed forward into the hike, not turning back to see if Anakin or the R2-droid were following. She could do this.

It didn't take long for Anakin and Artoo to catch up, maybe because she didn't actually want to go alone and purposely moved at a slower pace.

A couple of hundred meters into the hike Leia felt Anakin glance back over his shoulder. She stopped and turned to look too. The scavenging Jawas were swarming over the wreckage like insects, dismantling sections, and forming a chain to carry away everything they could detach or lift.

The R2 droid swiveled his dome to watch too and beeped.

"Don't worry, it's never going to happen to you, buddy," Anakin said. "Come on. Keep up."

Leia hesitated for a moment, but then followed. A memory flashing through her mind.

_"Luuke," Leia whined. "Just leave it." She rested her head against the edge of the cliff, impatient. _

_"I can't just leave it here, it might be gone by the next morning."_

_ Leia frowned staring at the piece of junk Luke called a landspeeder. _

_"No one is going to want it, you said it yourself, it's broken." _

_Luke raised his head, having stopped taking it apart to look at her. _

_"The Jawas won't care about that." _

_Leia frowned, unfamiliar with the term. _

_"Who?"_

_"The Jawas. They're scavengers. They seek out old technology and then sell it to moisture farmers." _

_Leia scowled. "Sounds like tacky business to me." _

_"It is. That's why I want to get this one part and then we can go." _

_She groaned. "You said that, like, an hour ago." _

_Luke didn't answer, having gone back to work. Leia huffed impatiently, picking herself up from the cliff and walking toward Luke's landspeeder. _

_"You know, I'm gonna leave without you." She said climbing into the speeder that was parked close to the broken one Luke was dismantling. _

_"No, you won't." _

_"Yes, I will."_

_"No, you won't." _

_"Oh yes, I will." _

_"You don't know how to drive it." _

_Leia sighed. True. She did know a little about piloting in general though, it couldn't be that much different. _

_"It's not that hard," Leia said confidently, but as she stared at the controls she knew she would possibly hit something even if she managed to start it. She groaned, slumping back into the seat. "How much longer?" _

_"Almost done." _

_"Can't you just take the whole thing?" Just as Leia said it she knew it to be a dumb question._

_"It's too big."_

_After a couple of minutes of staring at the distance, Leia became even more bored. There was nothing interesting to see in a desert. She looked back at the broken speedster who'd seemingly crashed into the cliff. _

_"What do you think happened to the person who was driving it?" There was no body. _

_Luke shrugged. "Probably got lost in the desert." _

_"So he's dead?" _

_"I think so."_

_Neither of them seemed particularly interested in his fate. The desert was cruel, it only took and there was no surviving in these kinds of conditions. There was simply nothing to be done._

_Leia wondered briefly if Luke still missed his Master._

_"Sometimes," Luke said, reading her mind._

_Leia glared at him. "Stop that!" _

_"You're currently listening to my thoughts too!"_

_"Yeah, because there's nothing else to do and your thoughts are boring anyway." All he was thinking about now were machinery parts and what could be done with them. As she said-boring. _

_"Do you miss your Master?" _

_"Again, she wasn't my Master, she was my guardian." _

_And she did miss her, but she told herself that it didn't matter. _

_"But you said she taught you how to use the Force," Luke said, a bit confused._

_Leia shrugged, "A little, so I could protect myself better. Besides, I told you, she wasn't a Jedi, not like your Master." _

_They fell silent after that, probably due to Leia's growing frustration. Luke knew when not to push. _

_After a while, Luke shouted, "Got it!" _

_Leia dropped the rock she'd been levitating as a form of some sort of amusement through the Force. "About time." She grumbled. _

_Stashing the parts in the small space behind their seats, Luke jumped into the pilot's seat beside Leia. _

_"You know your aunt is gonna be mad at you." Leia reminded him. She was probably out of her mind with worry by now. _

_Luke whined, "Oh no, I forgot all about it, she's probably back by now." _

_He looked at her pleadingly._

_"No." She refused sharply before he could even voice his request. _

_"Pleaaase, Leia," he begged. _

_"I'm not taking the blame for you, forget it."_

_"You don't have to take the blame…" _

_Leia's eyes widened, "I'm not lying to your aunt." She said aghast. _

_"But-"_

_"No."_

_"Fine." Luke grumbled, starting the engine as they headed home. _

Leia pulled herself out of the simple memory. She'd been nine at that time, just like Luke.

Leia smiled to herself fondly. It still ended with her taking some of the blame for Luke, though. His aunt was really scary when mad, and she always felt bad for him.

At the end of that particular stunt, they both got punished, but not as severely. Not when his aunt broke down crying, instead. That had been punishment enough.

Luke's aunt never recovered after losing his uncle. That's why she tended to be even more protective of Luke. And for some reason, that protection had extended to Leia. But since by then Leia hadn't lived with them for long, his aunt wasn't as strict with her as her nephew. She worried. But Leia never minded that, the opposite, it made her feel as if she belonged, like she was cared for. It didn't take long for Leia to feel like it was her home too. To think of Beru as her guardian and Luke as her…brother of sorts. To never want to leave.

But Leia didn't get to be that lucky.

"This was your home," Leia blurted out before she could think better.

Anakin's back was to her as he walked ahead, but she thought she noticed his shoulders tense slightly.

"And?" Said Anakin, his voice indifferent.

Good question, Leia thought.

"Nothing." She said quickly. It didn't matter.

After a couple of minutes of uncomfortable silence, Anakin sighed.

"If you want to know something all you need to do is ask," Leia's eyebrows rose in surprise, "but for every question I answer, you'll have to answer one of mine."

Leia scowled at that. Typical.

"What do you say?" Anakin asked, glancing over his shoulder to look at her.

She bit her lower lip, considering. There was really only one question she really wanted to ask.

"No thank you." She said instead, glaring at the distance.

Anakin let out an exasperated breath, "I don't know why you're so intent on being difficult."

_"You're impossible Leia!" Shouted Luke marching after her. _

_"Am not!"_

_"Am too!"_

_"Am not!"_

_"Am too!"_

_"Am-…ugh," she grunted as she lost her footing and fell down. It didn't hurt since the ground was completely covered in sand, but it did make Leia feel embarrassed. Scowling, she sat up. _

_"Stop laughing!" She shouted, glaring at Luke as she brushed the sand off of her clothes. _

_"I'm not laughing," he said, his expression suspiciously blank._

Still glowering she stood up, _"I can _feel_ your amusement."_

_"But not hear it," he said slyly, "kidding!" he added before she could charge at him._

_"I swear sometimes you're the biggest laser-" she stopped mid-sentence, whirling around. _

_"What is it?" Asked Luke, frowning. _

_"I-," she moved then stopped a few paces away, turning around in a circle, "can't you feel it?" _

_"Feel what?" _

_"There's something-" she looked down at her feet, stepping away, "I think there's something down here." _

_"What could be-" started Luke perplexed, but then realization seemed to hit him as he glanced around, "oh." _

_"What?" _

_"My grandmother and uncle are buried here somewhere. My uncle's parents too, and his brother."_

_Leia frowned in confusion. "Buried? Here?" She looked at the ground around her, expecting an indication of some kind that she was standing in the middle of a graveyard. "But there're no gravestones." _

_"Yeah, my uncle removed them when I was four, I think. Not sure why." _

_Leia's frown deepened. Removed them?_

_She shuddered, despite the heat, hugging herself. She felt cold and, … nothing. There was nothing, like a gaping hole that needed to be filled. It was hard to explain but Leia didn't like that feeling._

_"Maybe we should go," Luke suggested._

_Leia nodded, turning to follow him back to the house. _

_Wanting that feeling gone, Leia poked Luke's shoulder. _

_"I will race you," she said and spirited toward Lars homestead without giving him any time to react. _

_"Hey, no fair!" He shouted, breaking into a run after her. _

_Laughing, she slipped inside the house, quickly darting down the stairs, trough the passageway. She made her way through the entrance dome and rushed down yet another set of stairs, finally making it into the courtyard. _

_"Leia!" Shouted Luke's aunt who'd been walking out of the storage room at that moment. Leia instantly froze with Luke stopping right behind her._

_"How many times will I have to tell you, children? No running inside the house." _

_"Sorry," Leia breathed out. _

_"Now, come on you two, I've got a job for you." Leia's shoulders slumped. Great, more work. Sometimes she wondered if Beru was making up these useless chores just so she could keep them out of trouble. _

_"But I haven't had the time to practice with my lightsaber yet," Luke whined. _

_Yeah, well, Leia hadn't had the time to practice with her blaster since forever, simply because Beru had confiscated it the moment she set foot through the threshold for the first time. Yet she let Luke keep his lightsaber AND laser rifle. Talk about unfair. _

_"Well, you could have thought about that before running around, causing havoc." _

_Leia scowled, "We were not causing havoc." _

_"Really? And what were you two doing instead may I ask?" _

_"Wondering about the people buried outside." She said bluntly._

_ Beru froze, her face losing all color. Leia felt a hand on her forearm, a quiet warning sent by Luke. He didn't like to see his aunt in any distress and she could feel his disapproval. _

_"That's not up for discussion," She clutched her head as if in pain. "Luke, go fix the vaporator I mentioned before and take your sister with you." _

_"I'm not his sister," Leia mumbled, confused as to why Beru would refer to her like _that_, but Beru didn't seem to hear her. _

_Luke tugged at her arm, beckoning her. She followed him, glancing back at Beru. She seemed exhausted and not for the first time Leia wondered if she was okay._

"Leia!"

Leia jumped, turning to look up at Anakin.

"What?"

"We should get some rest."

Leia nodded, not really caring if they did or not.

They'd been walking for a couple of hours now, maybe longer. She wasn't sure anymore, not while, without anything else to do she couldn't help but remember.

After that time Beru often referred to Leia as Luke's sister. Leia never gave too much thought to it, but it soon became confusing. Especially when Leia was supposed to be posing as Luke's cousin, not his sister.

Luke had been forced to lie to his friends too, who had been a bit confused as to who exactly Leia was. Even for cousins, they looked nothing alike. Nor did they act in any way similar or enjoy the things the other did.

The story was that Leia was a relative from Luke's mother's side. Which wasn't a particularly good cover story, since Luke knew nothing about his deceased mother.

The only thing she had in common with Luke was their Force-sensitivity, which Leia knew was the cause of their Force-bond. Which was a rare thing, according to Luke, even amongst the Jedi.

No one, except for aunt Beru, knew about their Force-sensitivity. Or how it was the reason Leia ended up here, hiding. They wouldn't have been able to understand even if they tried. It was rare to find someone who knew anything about the Jedi, much less the Force around them.

But Luke's friends had soon noticed that there was something strange going on with Luke and Leia. For one, Luke and Leia had quickly gotten used to their peculiar Force-bond, which made them close. They were even born around the same time, which Leia thought was weird, and a bit too much of a coincidence. But no matter how bizarre it was, even for two Force-sensitive children, she found herself enjoying the fact they shared her name-day together. Luke had a way of making it more bearable, since Leia's parents weren't with her, or her former guardian. They used to always celebrate it together. Until they couldn't. Like Leia's last name-day which she had been forced to spend at the Jedi temple. Alone.

It's simple to say that it hadn't gone too well.

"Here should be fine." Said Anakin.

Leia looked up at him. She'd forgotten he was even there.

"Okay."

Of course, the place Anakin decided to settle on was not much different from the rest of the desert. But there were rocks. Besides those, the only other things you could find on such a planet as Tatooine were various kinds of remains or wreck sites. She and Luke used to go exploring a lot, to Beru's often displeasure. Leia grimaced, remembering the incident with the krayt dragon. She blamed Luke on that one.

"Give him to me." She said to Anakin, referring to the Huttlet who'd started to wail again. Anakin took off the backpack and handed it to Leia. She grimaced, freeing the Huttlet and setting him on the ground. He burbled happily.

"Don't let him wander off," Anakin said perching himself on a nearby rock.

"I won't."

Not that Rotta seemed to have any plans of going anywhere, happily playing with sand instead.

Leia giggled, for some reason the image cheering her, "You like sand?"

"A match made in heaven," Anakin commented bitterly, a water bottle in his hand.

Leia rolled her eyes, "Don't listen to him, he's just jealous." She crouched down and peered at the sand, thoughtful.

"Wanna see a trick?" She asked, even though she knew Rotta wouldn't be able to understand the question since she wasn't speaking Huttese.

She closed her eyes, concentrating. Tentatively, she reached through the Force drawing on the space around her.

Rotta made a sound similar to a squeal of absolute awe.

Leia opened her eyes to see him surrounded by the smallest shards of sand, which he was trying to reach while squealing in delight. They were floating in the air, the image off-putting at a first glance, but beautiful. Like stars.

"Impressive," Anakin commented, his voice laced with mockery.

Leia laughed, to her surprise not offended at all. "I know. You should try it."

Anakin scowled at her.

Leia rolled her eyes, "It's not that easy. It's similar to trying to lift a heavy weight, but at the same time completely different. Sand is much lighter, so light you can barely sense it, but you have to see it as a whole. Something that's connected. Then, all you have to do is focus on the different parts of it and-" Leia shook her head. "I'm explaining it wrong." She remembered when Luke first attempted it with her help and smiled.

"I think I understand. Though I can't say I remember the Order teaching anything similar to that."

Leia's smile dropped. She let go of her focus, making the sparkling shards of sand drop. Rotta whined in displeasure.

She shrugged, "They didn't." It was one of the reasons she disliked it there. There was barely any place for creativity, for change. Their rules simple at a first glance, but much more complex at the second. There were some exceptions, of course. Like Leia. But they were rare, and never fully explored.

She pulled her own water bottle and took a few gulps, then gave the rest to Rotta.

"Do you ever wish things were different?" Leia asked suddenly, tilting her head to stare up at Anakin.

"What do you mean?"

"The Jedi Order."

"What about it?"

"It's just… so different than what I imagined."

Maybe her former guardian had been right, and maybe Luke had been wrong. After all, the Jedi were extinct at her time. She had known only what her former guardian had told her and then Luke's own ideas on what it meant to be a Jedi, which his former Master had been responsible for filling his head with. But actually being here, learning from them and observing for quite some time now, Leia couldn't help, but wonder.

If they were such great peacekeepers, then how could they've let things get so bad? Let the Republic fall and the Empire rise? Why were they unable to stop it?

"Leia?"

"Yes?" Leia asked distractedly.

"How long have you been at the Temple?"

Leia breathed a sigh, staring off at the distance. She knew he would ask that question eventually; he wasn't dumb. There was no need to lie, either way, someone at the Temple if not the Council itself would tell him.

"Five, six months? Maybe less, I'm not sure." Keeping track of the date had been hard enough at her own timeline while constantly on the run. Coming here had only made things more confusing.

Silence. Then- "And before that?"

Leia shrugged. She might admit to not being an ordinary youngling, but no way was she telling him just how unique her situation actually was.

"So you've been officially admitted at the Academy by the High Council, when?" Uh-oh. He was not getting it, was he?

Leia looked up at him, frowning. "I just told you; about half-a-year ago."

Leia didn't like the expression he was currently wearing. Her frown deepened. Okay, she knew that most of the younglings were taken in at a very young age, infancy really, but why was he looking at her as if she'd grown a second head?

"Why are you staring at me like that? If I remember it right, you were admitted to the Academy when you were nine. Not much younger than me."

Besides, Luke had started his training at the age of eight. Her guardian also thought her stuff about the Force around the same time, whenever she showed any real interest in learning, anyway. And hadn't Luke told her, that his Master hadn't planned on teaching him that early, but only did so because of what had happened to his uncle?

"The Council is very strict about these kinds of things, Leia. They don't admit children this old. I was barely accepted myself, so why would they make an exception for you?"

Leia almost flinched. The last part sounding more of an accusation than anything else.

Leia's eyes narrowed, "How would I know?"

They stared at each other for a few moments. Both of them glaring at one another. Leia wasn't sure what his problem was, but she sure wasn't going to be the one to back down. It hadn't been her choice to get stuck here. The Jedi Order was the only place she could go to. She couldn't imagine what she would have done otherwise if she hadn't been Force-sensitive. But then, she wouldn't have ended up in this situation in the first place.

"We should get going, there's still a long way ahead of us," Anakin said finally.

"Lead the way." Was the only response Leia gave him.

Leia picked up the Huttlet, who'd been watching the situation unfold with a look of utter fascination, and once again placed him inside the backpack. She took the sheet of a blanket she'd placed in the very bottom and wrapped it around his head. Rotta gurgled, grinning at her. Awkward little slug.

She handed him to Anakin without a single word, who took it without even sparing her a glance. Nerf-herder.

Seriously, what was his problem? Before she had come along, he'd been the oldest to be ever admitted at the Jedi Academy, she knew. But Leia didn't even belong in this timeline. Besides, it's not like there had been an Academy she could have been applied to in her own time. Not whit most of the Jedi dead and some - who had managed to survive - on the run from the Empire. That's why she herself had been on a constant risk; because of her Force-sensitivity.

Technically, she had begun her training at eight. Not as efficiently as Luke, since she never saw any real appeal of becoming a Jedi. Especially, when the very person who taught her wasn't that keen on the title.

They didn't speak for the rest of the way and Leia did her best to try and keep her mind occupied on the now, rather than the past,—or future, whichever it was now.

They stopped for a few other breaks, either to check on Rotta or just to keep themselves from dehydrating.

Before Leia knew it, the twin suns were edging closer to the horizon and the temperature became more bearable. Although in a few hours it would plummet closer to freezing. There was a reason why one wasn't to go wandering in the desert. You could very much end up dead if you were stupid enough to go off unprepared.

Anakin stopped.

"Feel it?" He asked Leia.

Oh, so now he was talking to her? Curious, she reached out with her senses.

"I can feel a dark presence."

"It's Dooku. He's coming for Rotta."

"Well, he's not going to get to him now, is he? We're not gonna let him."

"No, we're not, Princess… time to split up."

Leia froze.

"What, why? Master, I can help. I don't need protection. We can do this together."

"No, I need you to get Rotta back to his father." Anakin scrambled up a slope and squatted on the top of the ridge, pointing out features in the desert that were almost invisible in the unending sand; oblivious to Leia's rising panic. "See that gully between those rocks? It's part of a network of ancient riverbeds. Take Artoo and follow it. Watch out for Dooku's droids, too. If he's borrowed any more hardware from Grevious, they'll be out searching, and there's not much cover out here, even at night-they've probably got infrared sensors."

Leia shook her head frantically. "No, I can't…"

"Leia, it's okay. I'll deal with Dooku. He'll come after me. All you have to do-…"

"No, you're not listening, I can't do it!" She exploded.

"Leia…" Anakin looked at her, conflicted, seemingly at a loss.

"You're not supposed to leave me. I-I can't go alone." She admitted, her eyes full of panic.

He crouched down in front of her. "I don't understand. You didn't seem to have a problem before."

Leia bit her lip nervously. "You are going to leave me. I don't wanna be here all alone."

Anakin frowned, seemingly concerned, but then his face twisted as realization seemed to dawn on him. "You used to live here, didn't you?"

Tears filled her as she shook her head, slowly. "I wasn't supposed to come back, not alone." She admitted quietly.

Luke had never planned on coming back. Not when the last of his family had died here. And when they tried to escape, so had Han. And it was their fault, Leia knew. Tatooine used to be her sanctuary, a safe place, but now it seemed more like a death-trap.

What would she do if Anakin decided to leave her here? There was nothing for her here now. Nowhere to go.

"Jedi do not fear Leia. Neither should you. I promised I would keep you safe, and I will." He touched her cheek gently. "I know it's hard, but you mustn't look back. Can you do that?"

She hesitated.

"You have to trust me." Anakin reminded her.

Could she?

She closed her eyes briefly.

No, she couldn't.

Leia breathed out shakily. "Okay." Because even if she couldn't trust him, for that reason alone she had to be strong. Because if she couldn't take care of herself, who would?

_Hide everything deep inside and don't look back. _

"Good girl."

oOo

Anakin was almost grateful that he could feel Dooku coming. It stopped his thoughts wandering too far.

He sat in the cold night air, the backpack strapped to his shoulders, as he stared at the tree moons without blinking, trying to meditate so that they would become a blur that quieted his mind.

But as hard as he tried he couldn't reach that state he reached rarely these days-things spoke to him and he didn't always want to hear them.

There were layers in his awareness. At the top, he searched for Leia, it took a lot of concentration, with her still cloaking herself, and even then he barely felt her presence moving through the dunes toward Jabba's palace with Rotta, and-he hoped-R2-D2. They should be almost there by now.

He felt anxious, starting to regret letting her go off alone. He should have handled it better, but how could he have known? Nothing made sense anymore. From the moment she appeared things had gotten only more confusing. The Council admitting, what, an eleven, twelve-year-old girl? And passing her on to him to be trained only after a few months? That couldn't be the same Jedi High Council he stood before when he was nine and with a respected Jedi Master to back him up. Not only that, but she was possibly from Tatooine. What on galaxy were they thinking? Was this a test? Or was it just a joke to them? He knew she was strong in the Force, he didn't need to feel it when he could see it. Her ability to cloak her Force-presence constantly, without any struggle, was proof enough. But how?

What made her so special?

Leia faded, drowned out by the Force impressions in the deeper layers, where Anakin felt Dooku-precise, targeted, controlled, a firaxa shark slicing through an ocean. In the depths, though, there was Tatooine.

It wasn't just memories. It was the accumulated misery, greed, and desperation of ages, generations of beings in poverty and servitude, and his small experience of that was barely visible in the mass. It was the voice that got to him. A wordless voice whispered, asking why he did as he was told and never asked the obvious question, or demand answers.

Why didn't you make them come back for her? Why didn't you see she was throwing you to safety, sacrificing herself, and sinking back into this terrible ocean so that you could have a chance at life? Why didn't you come back sooner, change the course of events, and rescue her before it was too late?

He never needed to define her. She was his mother. Tonight, she blotted out everything, even thoughts of his wife. The irony of his task-saving a Hutt-teetered on the brink of being a final message, an ultimatum to his sanity.

And Leia, how could he forget Leia. Who seemed lost, an eco of his own pain as she admitted never expecting to come back.

You must save who you can from now on. You must save those who deserve it.

Dooku got closer. Anakin rose from the depths of the Tatooine that never left him, surfacing through eddies of Dooku and Leia and breaking a surface that was simply ripples made by distant strife on other worlds. He adjusted the straps of the rock-laden backpack.

Dooku must have known that the sound of the speedster bike carried a long way in the desert at night. Anakin wondered why he didn't attempt an ambush. But neither of them needed physical evidence to find one another, and they couldn't hide.

Anakin heard the drive cut out a few meters away. Each footstep crunched in the sand. Finally, Dooku stood before him, rove flapping in the breeze. Something else caused a disturbance in the Force, but Anakin could concentrate only on Dooku now, and ignored it. He stood up, adjusting the pack of rocks on his back, and activated his lightsaber.

"Give me the Huttlet Skywalker," Dooku said quietly. "Or I'll have to kill you."

He'd swallowed the ruse, then. "I think you were going to do that anyway."

"Very well."

The tone of the confrontation was strangely courteous, like an Irmenu noblemen's duel. Dooku threw out his hand and sent Force lightning crackling across the sand towards Anakin, lighting up the night. Anakin evaded the bolts and channeled the lightning to his lightsaber.

"You're making progress," Dooku said. He lunged forward with his lightsaber, forcing Anakin back, then somersaulted over him. "Being here is painful, isn't it? Your home. Too many ghosts to contemplate. Stayed away too long, perhaps…"

Anakin whipped his hand up almost without thinking and sent a Force whirlwind of sand sweeping over the dunes. It spun toward Dooku, enveloping him and almost knocking him to the ground. The count crouched for a moment as he passed over, cloak pulled tight around him, and then stood again, lightsaber outstretched.

"Was I being insensitive?" He walked forward. "We all have to face our ghosts, Anakin. I face mine. They never go away, you know. They can be a burden, like that Hutt you're carrying, or a teacher, if you learn to live with them."

Did Dooku know about Shmi Skywalker? He seemed to know everything else, or maybe it was the trick of a fortune-teller, casting generalities to get a client to react and reveal specifics. Whatever it was, Anakin couldn't walk away from it or shut it out. He felt every shred of pain, his and his mother's, and lunged for Dooku with his lightsaber.

His attack was blind and ferocious, oblivious of the dead weight on his back, slashing and whirling at the Count until he drove him back to the softer sand where he'd lose his footing. But Dooku had been a master duelist, even among Jedi, and Anakin forgot that for a pain-blinded moment. Dooku ducked under his frantic sweeps and spun around behind him, slashing through the rigid backpack almost to Anakin's spine. The sudden movement of the rocks packed tightly inside made Anakin pause to get his balance.

"Oh dear," Dooku said mildly. "I seem to have cut Rotta in half."

"You wish." Anakin held out his lightsaber to fend off Dooku while he released the straps and let the backpack fall to the sand. Rocks spilled out.

Dooku raised his eyebrows. "Good grief, not a Hutt at all…"

It dawned at Anakin too slowly that Dooku wouldn't have been so easily fooled. This is a game. He's playing for time.

Dooku was playing decoy.

"You're too late anyway," Anakin said. He had to choose: fight Dooku to the end, or make a run for it and try to get to Leia. He had his eyes on the speeder bike.

He promised he would keep her safe.

"She'll be at Jabba's palace by now."

"You'll note I didn't ask where she was, though I must admit she's not the easiest to find. Such potential in one so young," Dooku said, taking a holoprojector from his cloak. "Too bad she ran into some friends. What I'm about to show you really is unfortunate."

Anakin thought it was another trick, but the blue holoimage that sprang into life looked real enough. The angle suggested it was being recorded by something a lot taller than Leia. She backed away from two MagnaGuard droids, stumbling in the sand, Rotta on her back in the makeshift harness he'd made.

Was this real? Anakin didn't trust anything he saw now.

"Jabba's son is still a casualty of war, alas, but your Padawan is being delivered to Jabba alive." Dooku carved a slow figure-eight in the air with the tip of his lightsaber. "He needs to vent his grief on something, and he won't have you to play with, will he?"

Anakin sprinted for the speeder.

He had it airborne the moment he settled into the saddle. Dooku seemed to give chase, but Anakin lost him in a cloud of sand.

As he raced for Jabba's palace, he had no idea whether this was still part of Dooku's maneuvering. Am I really stronger than him, or did he choose to let me escape? Why did he show me the hologram, to fool me or to demoralize me into dropping my guard in a fight? Why did he…

Anakin stopped thinking. It would only distract him. He'd made his decision; he had to follow it through. The only thing he knew was that Dooku had tried to delay him for a reason, and he had to take the risk that the decoy wasn't simply to provoke him into rushing to the palace.

Maybe Leia had run into MagnaGuards after all. Maybe she was already at the palace, reuniting Jabba with his son. The only way to find out was to get there. And fast.

oOo

Oh why, why the universe just couldn't leave her alone? Leia backed away from the three MagnaGuards that had popped out of nowhere, almost stumbling as she activated her lightsaber. She didn't feel like dealing with them. Didn't feel like fighting. Not when she was a bubbling mass of emotion that could erupt any second.

They circled her-three against one-then charged. Leia jumped, and crouched, as she evaded their attacks. Then charged at them in retaliation.

Rotta squealed, strapped to her back with a sheet, weighing her down.

Artoo came rolling toward them, trying to fend off one of her attackers, but got kicked instead and sent down the cliff's edge. Leia heard him land with a bang.

"Artoo!" She shouted, barely evading a maneuver that was aimed for her head.

She growled, charging at them with renewed strength. She would not give up.

She managed to slice in half one of their electrically charged weapons, just as the other, forced her back. Leia stumbled. She lost her footing and fell, rolling down the edge of the cliff, down below.

She moaned, having come to a stop at the very bottom, her eyes teary from dust, as she struggled to get up.

That's when she heard the unmistakable rumble of a speed bike. Hope surged inside her. She forced herself to her feet, moving towards the sound. She looked up at the distance to see a speed bike vastly moving directly toward Jabba's palace.

"Master!" She shouted, knowing it was him. She didn't need to reach out through the Force to sense it. But the speed bike didn't stop, moving further away instead.

He hadn't heard her. He wasn't coming.

Leia gasped and whirled around as the MagnaGuards once again circled her. Rotta squealed.

"I know, we're gonna be fine." She promised.

They sliced and cut through the air, as she evaded each of their offenses. But she was starting to run out of breath. And why did she feel so helpless?

But that wasn't the only thing she felt.

She made a mistake. Electric shock hit her from behind and she stumbled, falling on her knees. Suddenly, she couldn't keep it all in anymore.

She screamed. Everything: frustration, pain, and helplessness erupting out of her, but above all-anger. She did the only thing she could and let it all explode into the Force.

A Force-wave erupted out of her. Instantly, the three droids were viscously slammed by an unseen force, away from her. Damaging their circuits and completely shredding them in pieces.

Leia whimpered. Drowning up her knees she rested her head on them. And cried.

She couldn't hold it in anymore. Everything seemed to flow out of her all at once. Anger, frustration, helplessness, grief. She wanted someone to care, someone who would tell her she wasn't alone. She wanted her parents. And if she couldn't have that, why wasn't her guardian with her then? But above all, she wanted aunt Beru and Luke.

Beru, who'd never pressured Leia into anything and just let her be a kid. Who'd thought her how to cook and shoved her the simple pleasures of life. How sunsets could be beautiful and that no place was too bleak when you had your family with you. Who took care of her and listened.

And Luke. Most of all Luke. He hadn't been just her pretend cousin. Far from it. He'd been like a brother. Her best friend. Her protector. Someone who understood her completely. Who showed her the stars and shared his plans of one day visiting them all. Who didn't mind sharing the last bits of his family he'd left with her and made her feel like she'd finally found her place. She always felt as though together they could do anything. Anything.

Leia sobbed, letting it all out. She just wanted to go home.

Artoo chirped and swirled as he rolled next to her.

"What?" She shouted, whirling to look at him. "What would you have me do? I am not even supposed to be here you know."

Artoo swirled sadly.

"I can't understand you." She sobbed. "Luke could, so that's why I never bothered."

But that wasn't true now, was it? She hadn't bothered, because after Obi-Wan Kenobi saved her when she was seven, her father had chosen to discard her, only leaving her with a blaster and a couple of droids who were supposed to look after her among the newly formed Rebel Alliance. And while she understood why exactly he had to leave her, she couldn't help, but resent him for his decision to remain the respectful leader of Alderaan, instead of running away with her. The people of their planet came first, she knew. But it didn't change the fact that her father had chosen to abandon her.

The droids only added to the fuel. She'd found C-3PO and his fussiness exceptionally annoying. And while R2-D2 hadn't been that bad, it didn't make much difference to her. Not when she rarely got to see her father and when she did, he only talked about the better good of the rebellion and how Leia had to be strong and set an example.

It was a good thing her guardian had taken a liking to Artoo and after her, Luke. She'd lost count on how many times she'd tried to get rid of both him and C-3PO.

Leia stopped, sniffling. Artoo.

She turned once again to look at the astromech droid beside her.

"Artoo?" She asked hesitantly.

The droid chirped mournfully.

"Can you tell me what your full model number is?"

The droid chirped and swirled, beeping hurriedly.

"No, wait. I'll just try to guess and all you'll have to do is give a whistle. I can understand that much." She'd spent enough time with her own astromech droid to know the difference between an affirmative pitch and a negative one. This way she could at least get rid of the ridiculous idea that the droid before her could be the very same one she used to own.

Artoo gave a high-pitched whistle.

"Okay," Leia breathed out, "Is it R2-D1?"

A low-pitched whistle sounded, almost annoyed.

Okay, the test-run seemed to be a success. Of course, she wasn't going to try out every model number imaginable. She just needed to know it was not the same as her astromech's had been, or rather-Luke's. That's all.

Truly.

"Is it R2-D2?" Leia held her breath.

The highest pitch imaginable sounded, as Artoo rolled his dome excitedly.

Leia's world tilted.

"What? No, it can't be, how-?"

Leia's disbelief was cut short by her comlink beeping. It seemed that the jamming had stopped and she had a message.

She replayed it, her eyes widening as Master Kenobi relayed the situation. Apparently, Senator Amidala was one resourceful politician to have uncovered Jabba's uncle Ziro's scheme and taken him into custody.

That reminded her. Leia sighed, brushing away her tears as she stood. She had a job to do.

_Hide everything deep inside and don't look back._

"Come on, Rotta, let's get you back to your father."

oOo

****Edited.****


	6. Chapter 6

Leia was beyond exhausted by the time she made it to the palace, having run all the way there. Artoo had followed her, of course, but she didn't have any time to spare him even a glance much less think over the recent revelation. And honestly, she didn't think she wanted to. She currently had other things to worry about.

Two Nikto guards stopped her before she could go through; pointing their blasters right at her. Leia groaned in annoyance. She had no time for this.

"I really wouldn't do that if I were you. See that bundle over my back? I don't think Jabba would appreciate you assassinating his son."

Leia unraveled the sheet from her back and held Rotta to her front for the guards to see. The Huttlet gurgled happily.

One of the reptilian humanoids instantly rushed into action, slipping inside the palace in a hurry, probably to inform Jabba.

"This way," said the other one, motioning for her to go first. Rolling her eyes, she moved ahead, making her way through the passage and down the steps.

Leia did her best to ignore her surroundings as she went through the eery corridor that brought back unwanted memories filled with terror. She was completely exhausted-keeping her eyes open was a struggle itself, so that worked as well as any distraction.

Jabba's throne room looked pretty much the same as she remembered. With a full entourage assembled, though she pretty much-ignored anyone or anything.

What instantly sieged her attention instead, was her Master holding the ignited blade of his lightsaber to Jabba's throat.

"Well done, Princess," Anakin praised, completely at ease. He let out a long sigh and shut down his lightsaber. "You look awful."

She felt awful too.

Leia kept her expression carefully blank as she stared at her Master who slowly backed away from Jabba. She wanted to stop him, to plead him not to drop his guard and leave her alone with the monster in the very center of the room.

"My…son," said Jabba. Leia tensed just as Rotta gurgled and squealed happily at the sound of his father's voice. "Hand…him to me."

The protocol droid stepped in. "Lord Jabba says to put his son in his arms."

Leia wanted to say that she understood him the first time, that she didn't need translating, but felt as if her jaw was wired shut. She was rooted to the spot, unable to step forward. Petrified.

She'd killed him, yet he was here. She could still kill him, kill him again, but that still wouldn't bring Han back, would it?

_Just don't think about it. Hide it._ Leia thought, repeating the old mantra in her head.

Slowly, Leia moved toward Jabba. Keeping her eyes firmly on the ground she stopped before him and lifted Rotta into his arms.

The moment the Huttlet was in his father's arms again, she turned away, walking in the direction of her Master, barely managing to keep a steady pace and not sprint like she wanted to.

A happier tune sounded from a piper as the servants chatted excitedly.

"You okay?" She heard Anakin ask.

Leia nodded. _Don't think about it, don't think, don't think. _

"Now, Jedi," Jabba said."You still die."

Leia clutched her eyes shut. No.

_Fear. Leia was terrified. Luke stood beside her, squeezing her hand as they faced Jabba and his audience, together. _

_Farther away stood Han. Disheveled and courageous as ever, but tense as he waited for the verdict that would deem his fate. _

_"Kill him." Rang Jabba's voice, as he commanded the bounty hunter in Huttese. _

_Leia stood frozen as the bounty hunter lifted his blaster. Leia tried to move, to do something, but was unable to when a towering shadow appeared before her._

_"No!" She shouted, struggling to get to Han, to save him. _

_A trigger sounded. A soft gasp of either surprise or pain. Maybe both. Then the sound of a body hitting the ground. She felt it. One minute alive and the next…gone. _

_Leia's lungs burned as she realized that the awful noise she could hear was her screaming. _

_She could distantly feel Luke's shock and pain, but it was drowned out by her own. At that moment nothing mattered, but the agony she felt, fueled by anger. Deep, full-blown rage. They would pay. _

_Leia looked up at the monster towering over her. Seeing it as nothing, but an obstacle to be eliminated. He was slammed into a wall by an unseen force initiated by Leia, just as Luke ignited his lightsaber. _

_All hell broke loose. _

_Screams and echoes of warnings turned into a cloud of noise, Leia paid no attention to. But above all-the panic. It was dizzying, the fear she felt around her, fueling her own rage and power. Just as she felt Luke getting overwhelmed as more guards surrounded him; she heard three more words that had the power to destroy her entirely._

_"Take the boy." _

_No, they won't. They couldn't. Leia wasn't going to let them. _

_Before she knew it, she was across the room, in front of Jabba. Before he had any time to react, Leia was slicing trough him with her lightsaber. _

_It was his fault. He killed Han. She wouldn't let him take Luke too._

_Ringing in her ears. _

_Silence. _

_She felt Luke's horror first. Then realized what she'd done. _

_Piece of Jabba slid off, guts spilling before her, as someone screamed. Leia stumbled back, suddenly feeling nauseous, as her breathing became erratic with panic. _

_Madness, as no one seemed to know exactly how to react. But then, in all confusion, someone made a bounty. A bounty on her head._

_Suddenly, Luke was before her, dragging her away, "Leia, we have to go!"_

_They ran. Some gave chase, as blaster shots came their way._

_What had she done? Asked one voice. _

_What she was forced to. Answered the other. _

Leia blinked, waking up from the memory. She did what was necessary to keep those she loved safe. She would not feel guilty.

"Okay, I'm the one you've got the problem with," Anakin said in Huttese. Leia glanced at him. "Let Leia leave with my astromech. She saved your son a dozen times since we found him on Teth. She doesn't deserve this."

He was trying to save her. She hadn't expected that. Maybe there was hope for her after all.

_No_.

Leia's eyes snapped open. She was not weak. She was tired of always feeling afraid. Of letting her past overrule her. She had a voice, a voice that had to be heard.

Leia raised her head and looked straight at Jabba, narrowing her eyes in determination. "Nobata," she said, then thinking better of it switched back to Basic. "Lord Jabba, we'll not be taking the fall for something we were not the cause of. A scheme of someone close to you. I got a message from General Kenobi. Senator Amidala requests to speak to you urgently about your uncle, Ziro. He's been arrested."

Just as she'd hoped he would, Jabba moved to the comlink on his dais before the protocol droid finished two words. She'd long known Jabba understood Basic. It was all an act from his part. She was just glad that among this chaos she remembered Master Kenobi's message she had received on her way here.

The hologram of Senator Amidala appeared instantly.

"Lord Jabba." She bowed her head. "Your uncle Ziro has been arrested after conspiring with Count Dooku to kidnap your son and depose you, and incriminating the Jedi to sabotage negotiations with the Republic."

Leia paid little to no attention to the Senetor, too busy keeping her emotions in check. She sounded more than capable of dealing with the current situation anyway. The words had been spoken with undeniable authority, Leia had to admire that.

"Prove it," said Jabba.

The protocol droid translated. "Lord Jabba says prove it."

Leia forced herself to glance up.

"You can speak to Ziro now, Lord Jabba, from the custody cell." Senator Amidala leaned out of the margin of the image, and her place was taken by a hologram of a Hutt. Since the hologram had no other colors beside shades of blue, all Leia could make out was some murky image of a fancy looking slug.

"You better have a good story, Ziro…," Jabba said.

"Nephew, I would never harm Rotta! Dooku made me do it! He threatened me, he threatened to kill me…"

"You should have let him," Jabba said. "Because when I get hold of you, I'll make you understand that Hutt does not betray Hutt. I've seen enough. Put me back to the Senator."

Senator Amidala reappeared.

Leia breathed out deeply, her eyes returning to Jabba. He was alive. He was. She hadn't killed him. Yet, the image of his maimed body kept flashing back through her mind.

Leia glanced up at Anakin as he edged closer into the transmitter's field of view.

Senator Amidala smiled distantly and for a second Leia thought she looked familiar.

"General Skywalker," spoke the Senetor, bowing her head again. "Thank you for your assistance in resolving this."

Well of course she looked familiar. Leia had to admit she knew quite a lot about the Senator in the hologram, having done her share of research in her free time at the Temple. The hologram was vague, but form what Leia could make out, the Senetor was beautiful, fancy dresses and all. Leia glanced away, for some reason feeling funny. Like there was something she was missing. Like a knowing. She hated those.

"And thank you, Senator. Padawan-" Anakin shot Leia a quick glance. Leia looked up at him, slightly amused. She never told him her last name and only now did he seem to have realized that. Not that she had one anymore, she thought bitterly.

"-Leia," Anakin continued. "Captain Rex, and Torrent Company of the Five-oh-first were all instruments in achieving this."

Senator Amidala smiled professionally.

"Lord Jabba, perhaps we can now agree on Republic use of routes for military traffic, and bring this war to an end."

Bring this war to an end. Leia's eyes dropped, as she glared at the ground.

No one knew. No one knew except for her.

The protocol droid translated. Leia heard Jabba laugh raucously, sending chills down her spine. How she hated that laugh. How she hated him. No, _loathed_. Because if it weren't for him Han would still be alive.

"Tell the Senator it's a deal. And I want Dooku brought to justice, too."

No, it was not a deal. Didn't they understand?

She felt Anakin step down, as he beckoned her, but she was rooted to the spot, her eyes focused on Jabba once again. Was she really going to leave, just like that? With him-alive and breathing? Did she have a choice? She killed then out of vengeance and desperation. Could she kill now, while being fully aware of her actions and the consequences such a deed would lead to?

"Let's go, Leia," she heard Anakin say, felt his hand on her forearm, dragging gently, but firmly.

She sure wanted to but knew that she couldn't.

_Hide everything deep inside and don't look back. _

Using all her will, Leia managed to put one foot in front of the other as she let Anakin lead her out of the room and eventually-the palace.

Once outside, Leia glanced up at the dark sky lit up by the stars as she breathed deeply. In and out.

_"One day I'm gonna see them all!" _

_"No, you're not," Leia said giggling._

_"Yes, I am!" Luke argued._

_"No, you're not."_

_"How do you know?"_

_"Because that's impossible, there's just too many."_

_"Well, it doesn't matter. I'll be the first one to see them all, you'll see."_

It seemed so long ago when they'd last watched the stars. With Luke pointing out their names and everything, he knew about them. She wanted to go back. To go back to that time when she felt carefree and safe.

"Leia?" She heard Anakin ask.

"Yeah?"

"You sure you're okay?"

She nodded, "Yes." Why did he keep asking the same question? "Let's just go."

They walked toward the LAAT/i which was waiting for them farther away from the palace. Rex jumped out of the gunship to meet them halfway.

Anakin held out his hand and Rex shook it. "I'm glad to see you, Captain."

"Me too, sir."

"I'm sorry I didn't return."

"No problem, sir. It gave General Kenobi something to do, anyway. You know how bored he gets."

Anakin laughed, then turned serious. "Bad news for me, though?"

"Five men."

Leia looked up. "Five alive?"

"Yes. Plus me."

Leia nodded, turning to look up at the moon. She'd left the Rebellion when she came to Tatooine. Not only that, but she'd left the responsibility of dead men she had carried. Free will, what a joke. Leia looked up at Rex. He didn't have free will. He only thought he did. But the rebellion had. The structure of it had made certain of that. Only those who were against the Empire fought a war that was nonexistent to others. But every battle mattered to them. Protecting Leia had mattered to them.

This war, the war that was fought by clones, however, was real. One that could change everything. That had a chance to put a stopper to the rise of the Empire that would rule it all. To stop the slavery and oppression. To keep democracy.

But they seemed to seek victory all the wrong ways. How could they not see it? The complexity-the web of lies.

"Give me a report," Anakin said quietly. "Not the usual official record. I want to hear it all. Names. I want to hear how six of you held a droid army at bay, Rex."

"Oh, boring stuff." Rex turned to the gunship. "It's not important, is it?"

"It is to me," Anakin said.

"We own it to them," said Leia. Duty comes first. Het father had taught her that. "They fought and they died, it's our responsibility to make sure they leave something behind." She felt both Anakin and Rex's eyes boring into her, but she pretended not to notice because she knew.

She knew-was the only one who did-that the legacy of clone troopers left nothing. And eventually was completely forgotten.

oOo

Back at the Jedi Temple Leia frowned, glancing at the scale model of a skyhopper which stood on the edge of her desk she sat in front of. It was mostly a warning for others that the always-tidy room belonged to someone. All accommodations, just like the one she was currently staying at, were supposed to be temporary, but it didn't stop Leia from keeping her most prized possessions safely tucked under the bed. Most Jedi Masters with higher positions didn't seem to mind, maybe because the High Council knew that Leia was entitled to feel out of place more than others and allowed the illusion of her own little space.

Not for the first time, Leia tried to make sense of it all. She was fifteen years back in the past with no way to return, stuck. Everyone she ever cared about were still alive, but beyond her reach. Well not all of them, Luke had yet to be born.

There was no Empire. No Emperor. No Inquisitors. No Darth Vader. Yet there was a war. A war that in a couple of years would be lost, bringing all those things and destroying the rest. Like the Jedi.

There was a knock on her door.

Leia closed the datapad and placed it inside the drawer of her desk.

"Come in." She said, having already sensed who it was.

Her Master walked in.

"Did you get some rest?"

Leia shrugged, "I did." Fully refreshed she'd gone straight to her quarters. Three hours, that's how long she'd slept. Then she'd woken up from another nightmare, read up on Jedi history, then went to sleep again with her lightsaber under her pillow. She'd slept about five hours in total. Some would say that's unhealthy, but they hadn't lived through what Leia had.

"I know we hadn't started on the best terms," That's an understatement, Leia thought. "But I need you to know, I want what's best for you."

Everything in Leia stilled.

"What did you do?"

"I talked to the Council and-..."

"You told them you didn't want me."

Anakin shook his head. "It's not that I don't want you as my Padawan, Leia. It's true that I'm wary of having one, but that's not the biggest issue here."

Leia scowled. "If you won't, others can train me, Master Kenobi-"

"I spoke to Master Yoda, it was decided that perhaps it's best for you to wait."

Wait? What the hell did that mean?

"Wait? What do you mean, wait?" Leia panicked, her voice rising as she shot up from her seat.

"We all agreed you still have a lot to learn and perhaps rushing things by putting you in the field would do more damage than good."

He was not saying what she thought he was. "You think I can't handle it?"

"You're still a kid Leia and what happened on Tatooine-"

"What do you mean what happened? You know nothing!"

"I know enough. I saw how you reacted at Jabba's palace. You hid it well, but not well enough."

"I was fine! We completed the mission, didn't we?"

"Leia, I saw you, you almost broke down, just like in the gunship."

"Those two times have nothing to do with each other!"

"You're too young to-"

"Too young? The reason I had trouble at the palace was because I saw someone close to me get murdered right in front of me there, not because I'm too young to handle stressful situations!"

Silence.

Leia willed the tears away. "I might be still a kid and I might be twelve. But I don't need someone pulling me backward when it's already too late for that. What I need is someone who would understand how I feel and won't treat me anyway differently." Leia brushed away the tear from her eye before it had a chance to fall. "And I thought that person could be you, but I guess I was wrong."

Leia pushed past him, making it through the door and into the Jedi Temple's passages.

It felt like a betrayal of sorts. She expected differently when she shouldn't have. Anakin didn't know, the Jedi High Council hadn't told him, yet they let him influence their decisions as if he had any understanding. How could they think it was a good idea to leave her on the sidelines?

No. Leia was a fighter. No one could take that away from her.

oOo

"Speak to me you wanted, did you not?"

Leia fought an urge to squirm. "I did." And she was starting to regret it.

She sat inside Master Yoda's quarters, on one of the softly rounded pod seats. She was glad Master Yoda agreed to speak with her so quickly, but that also meant she had no time to prepare.

"Then speak. What you have to say, I'll listen."

Leia straightened, trying to look as confident and as sure of herself as possible. "Master Skywalker told me of your decision."

Yoda nodded. "Yes. Disagree with it, you do?"

Leia nodded.

"Why is that, do you think?"

Something told Leia she had to be very careful with what she said next.

"Because I know the reasoning behind my actions while he does not." She admitted truthfully.

Yoda nodded thoughtfully and Leia felt relieved he was happy with that answer.

"Tell him how you feel, what you think, you did not. Confide in him you chose not to, yes?"

Once again, Leia couldn't do anything but nod.

"Why that is, you know."

"I don't trust him." She admitted.

"Hmmm... Trust. Valuable, important it is. Especially, between a Master and an apprentice. Yet, trust him you refuse to."

Leia looked down guiltily.

"Tell us you were from Tatooine, you did not." Master Yoda accused.

Leia cursed inside her mind. Of course, Anakin must have told them. She should have been smarter about keeping her guard up and not have let that little detail slip out in the first place.

She hesitated before answering, thinking carefully about her next words. Finally, she shook her head. "Because I'm not. I only stayed there for a while. "

Master Yoda lifted his head in a thoughtful manner. "Find it hard to go back there, you did not?"

"I did, but only because the people I once stayed there with don't exist anymore."

"Memories from that time, good they are?"

Leia nodded. It was the truth, they were good.

"Yet, a shadow I sense."

Leia's tensed. She was hesitant to reveal even more but had no choice. "I was safe there until they found us."

Master Yoda waited for Leia to get into more detail, but she stayed quiet. She'd told them before she wouldn't speak of the future, just about the things that were absolutely necessary, but only concerned her.

"Then what happened?"

"We had to run, but a friend got hurt."

"See that, you did?"

Leia nodded.

"Guilty, you feel."

"He was trying to help us, he would still be alive if he hadn't."

"Hmmm… Healing from that time you think you do not need?"

Leia shook her head. "It's not that the memories were too much. It's because his killer was right in front of me."

A look of surprise replaced Master Yoda's scrutinizing eyes. "Yet, no action you took."

"I knew, I couldn't. He hadn't done it yet. And the mission had to come first." She hadn't done anything now, but she had in the future. Something terrible. Something, that still haunted her.

Master Yoda nodded thoughtfully. "Wise, you are. Great strength you possess. Right, not to take action, you were."

Leia waited while Master Yoda seemed to contemplate something.

"When appoint you to be trained as a Padawan, we chose. Agree, there was no time to waste, we did. Mature, beyond your years you seem to be. The will of the Force it was, for you to be here, deny that I cannot." Master shook his head softly, apologetic. "Yet, only Master Skywalker revoke the recently made decision, can. No other Master, Padawan Leia, can we appoint you to."

Leia's shoulders slumped. She thought about it for a few moments, then spoke, "Can I at least try to change his mind?"

Master Yoda let out a slight chuckle. "That, I will allow, but only once. To come back to Tatooine, collect a freighter left there, Master Skywalker wishes. Accompany him, you may. Your last chance this might as well be."

Leia nodded, standing up and bowing. "Thank you, Master Yoda." Then left the room in search of her Master.

oOo

Having found her way inside the main vehicle and spacecraft maintenance hanger Leia waited patiently for Anakin to notice her as he piled supplies into one of the vessel shuttles.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Anakin in annoyance.

"I'm coming with you."

Anakin stopped doing whatever he was doing and let out an exasperated breath. "Leia, you're not coming."

"Yes, I am."

"According to who?"

Leia smiled slyly, "Master Yoda."

Anakin just scowled at her. "I'm going back to Tatooine."

"Yes, I know."

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "And that doesn't bother you?"

It did, kind of. But Leia learned long ago to dampen her emotions. Besides, she'd been there the day before and made it out alright. Not only that, but she managed to survive Jabba's palace. She would be fine.

"A little, but I'm still going." She smiled brightly at him. She was not going to back down.

"And Master Yoda allowed this, why?"

Leia shrugged. "Maybe he thought you could use the company. You know, to really see if you won't change your mind."

"I won't."

"Then think of it more as a goodbye trip."

Anakin shook his head, exasperated. "I'm leaving this second, I don't have any time to wait around for you."

"No need, I'm already packed."

Anakin's scowl only deepened.

oOo

"Are you going to talk to me?" Leia asked, twirling around in the co-pilot's seat. How was she supposed to change his mind if he kept ignoring her?

"Are you going to sit still?"

"I would, if someone would talk to me, I'm bored."

Anakin turned to her, glaring. "Then find something useful to do."

"Like what?"

"I don't know, you're smart girl, I'm sure you can think of something."

"I did. Annoying you is the second-best thing."

Leia looked around, only now noticing something.

"Where's Artoo?"

"There was no need to take him with us, so I left him at Coruscant."

Leia's eyebrows shot up. Maybe Anakin wasn't so attached to the droid after all.

Leia thought a little on the situation with R2-D2 last night and had come to realize, that since he was the very same astromech droid from her own time, she could find his company kind of comforting. Ironic, since she used to despise the little droid on a simple principle. She briefly wondered where on galaxy was C-3PO, but then decided it was probably for the best not knowing. She still had to figure out how exactly R2-D2 had come into her father's care when he seemed to have originally belonged to Anakin.

But whatever was the answer she was glad already because for him to have fallen into her father's hands it meant that there was no one else that could've claimed him. And maybe, just maybe she was one step closer to proving herself wrong.

Leia glanced at Anakin, studying him. Because she still couldn't believe that the man before her had the capacity to become _him_.

Anakin, getting tired of her ogling, glowered at her. "What?"

Leia sighed. "You know, you could just change your mind about being my Master."

"Already told you, I'm won't. You're only wasting your time."

Leia scowled, turning to look at the windshield instead, feeling frustrated. They were currently in hyperspace so there was nothing interesting she could distract herself with.

"Are you getting another Padawan then?" Leia didn't like that thought. Everything she's done was to keep her former guardian, now friend, from-…

"No."

Leia looked up at Anakin in surprise, who instead stared ahead. "But, I thought-"

Anakin sighed, "I didn't ask for you to be removed as my Padawan, I only asked them to give you more time. That means making sure you're ready before accompanying me on a mission again."

Leia smiled slightly, relieved and kind of…hopeful. It's weird, but it seemed she'd gotten quite used to thinking of Anakin as her Master.

Anakin smiled and she could see he was glad by her reaction. But then she frowned.

"How long?"

"How long, what?"

"How long will I have to wait for a chance to go on another mission?"

"We're at war Leia."

Leia barely refrained from rolling her eyes. Like that changed anything.

"How long?" She insisted.

"A few years."

Leia's jaw dropped, "Years?" She shook her head forcefully. She couldn't wait that long. She couldn't sit and do nothing while she knew she could make a difference. Who knows if she was even allowed to stay that long in this time period. The Jedi Council seemed to thinks so, but Leia had other ideas. She didn't want to believe she was stuck here forever.

"I can't do that. I can't just sit around and do nothing. That's not who I am."

"You don't have another choice."

Leia jumped out of her seat. "How can you say that? Everyone has a choice. Could you do that? Could you stay at the Temple and do nothing?"

"This isn't about me Leia. It's about you."

"Yes, exactly. And I say I belong out there." She said pointing at the distance, at whatever planet there might be.

"Leia, I understand how you feel…"

"Do you? Then why are you holding me back?"

"Because you're not ready!"

Leia's mouth dropped. "Bantha poodoo. You don't know me, you don't even know what I'm capable of!"

"How am I supposed to, if you won't tell me?"

So that's what it was all about. Leia scowled, "Getting to know my history, won't make you an expert on my capabilities."

Anakin raised a challenging eyebrow. "Won't it?"

"No, it won't."

She fell back into her seat with a grumpy look on her face but didn't say anything, refusing to even look at Anakin for the rest of the way.

oOo

"Master?" Leia asked uncertainly.

Anakin turned his head away from his tinkering to look at her. They've gotten most of the major ship parts back from the Jawas in exchange for the shuttle they came with. Her Master seemed to think it was a great deal while Leia had looked at him as if he was missing a few major screws.

"I was wondering, could I borrow the speeder bike for a quick trip?" As far as Leia was concerned it was hers now anyway since it would've fallen into Jawa's hands if not for her. Apparently, Leia was still capable of that infuriating look Luke always talked about.

"A trip?"

Leia nodded. There was a long pause as Anakin seemed to consider something.

"Is it…to see your family?" Leia frowned in confusion, the word family sending a sharp pang inside her heart. Unable to answer she shook her head.

"But they do live here?" Anakin pressed on. He seemed curious, but there was something in his expression Leia couldn't quite place.

Leia looked away, uncomfortable. It was a harsh reminder of who she was. Or more accurately-who she wasn't.

"There's no one." She admitted softly.

"I'm sorry, I just figured since you were admitted at the Temple so late, you must have lived with your relatives."

"Well, I didn't."

Another short pause.

"What happened?"

"Are you allowed to ask so many questions?"

"I am your Master."

"Who refuses to train me." Leia huffed, "If you must know the answer is war. And considering the circumstances, I don't know what another answer you were expecting. "

A lie. Yet, not really. While there was no ongoing war in her timeline, she was considered to be one of the many orphaned after the Clone Wars. She knew nothing of her biological parents.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be, you'd have to be sorry for a lot more than that."

There was an uncomfortable silence as Anakin didn't seem to find any words.

"I don't need your pity, so please continue with your work. I just thought I could visit some places before we were finished here."

"Leia, it's not because I'm trying to be unreasonable, it's just unsafe here."

Leia rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I know. I lived here, remember? Stay away from sand people, don't wander too far in case of a sandstorm and just be wary of everything and everyone in general." Not that she hadn't once broken each and every one of those rules.

"Look, I have my comlink and if I get lost or in trouble I promise to call you, okay?"

"Fine."

Leia almost beamed. She was about to make her way out before she hesitated, turning back.

"Master?

"Yeah?"

"Can I ask you something too?" Silence, as Anakin continued tinkering with the Twilight's broken part.

"It's only fair." She added.

Anakin sighed heavily. And for a moment Leia thought he looked nervous. "Go on."

Leia kept biting her lip anxiously, as she tried to wind up her courage.

"What about your relatives? Don't you want to see them?" She had to know. For Luke, she had to know if she was still alive.

Anakin let out a harsh laugh. "How did I know you were going to ask me that?"

"Because you asked me the same, and as I said, it's only fair."

Leia waited patiently, holding her breath.

Finally, Anakin spoke. "Just like you, there's no one."

Leia frowned in confusion. "That can't be right." Even if she was already gone, what about the Lars? Beru and Owen; Luke's aunt and uncle? They were alive, she was sure they were. But then, didn't Anakin consider them family? Or didn't he just want to tell her?

"I'm not sure why you would believe differently, but I'm not lying."

Leia opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. She could see Anakin was on the emotional edge far enough and there was no need to push him any further.

But the question still remained; what about the Lars? And most importantly, what about his mother?

Unable to get answers to those questions anyway, without a single world, Leia left.

oOo

_"Wormie, your cousin is cheating again!" _

_"No, I'm not, you're just a sour loser."_

Leia moved through the sale's office of Tosche Station, where she used to spend most of her free time with Luke's friends. It was located in Archorhead, close to the Lars homestead, but one of the main reasons why she always tagged along, was because the station also boasted a hyperwave repeater, which sometimes received HoloNet's feeds relayed from Rodia, Naboo and occasionally some other places too. The local kids never understood her fascination with affairs that didn't concern such a remote planet as Tatooine and she never bothered with a truthful explanation.

_"Why do you always bring her along, she's a girl!"_

_"And you're a total bigot, no wonder Camie doesn't like you." Leia shot back. _

_Fixer's face reddened with either embarrassment or fury. "I don't care if she likes me or not!"_

_"Then that's exactly what I'm gonna tell her then," Leia said smugly. _

_"No, don't!"_

_"Then pay up, and stop calling Luke Wormie."_

"Do you need something?"

Leia whirled around to see a middle-age man, standing in front of the backroom archway where Leia knew stood the pool table from her memories. She used to beat anyone at computer assisted pool whenever the chance arose.

"No, sorry. I was just looking for a power converter, but then remembered we have a spare one at home." She explained, quickly rushing through the lie, "Sorry." She mumbled, then swiftly left.

As she hurried down the steps, where she left her speed bike, she wondered what the hell she was thinking by coming back here. She was sure that the human male from before was the official owner-Merl Tosche, who will rarely visit in the future because of customer infrequency. After all, Luke's friend Laze nicknamed "Fixer" who was the one to operate the station in the future was currently just an infant.

Leia sat on the bike, unsure of where to go. Maybe she should just turn back. Her Master would surely be surprised, but the similarities between this place and the one in the future were starting to overwhelm Leia. It's as if she was the one that didn't belong. Like she was a ghost, a mare memory.

Leia breathed deeply-in and out, battling the panic rising from within. It's just her imagination, she was fine. Would be fine. She just needed to get away.

Leia was just about to start the ignition when she heard a soft rumble. She tilted her head to look upwards. Was that… Was that _Twilight_? Leia frowned in confusion as the shuttle moved farther away toward the South. Of course, he had no chance of seeing her, he was too far ahead and she was next to a building instead of an open field.

But where was her Master going?

There was nothing that way except for…Lars homestead.

But why would he be going there?

She didn't know. Leia started the engine. But she would find out.

oOo

Leia walked slowly under the blazing twin suns to where Anakin stood. She left the speeder next to the now fully-functional Twilight, farther away from where the homestead stood on the very outskirts of the Jundland Wastes.

Leia knew the moment he felt her coming, but even as she noticed his shoulders tense, he didn't bother lifting his head to look at her. Leia stopped beside him, looking down at the four headstones.

"What are you doing here?" He sounded absolutely livid. Why, Leia had a hunch, but she still couldn't stop the hurt.

"I was nearby when I noticed the Twilight." She explained softly. She cocked her head studying one particular headstone Anakin stood before.

So she was already gone after all.

"How did she die?" Aunt Beru never told Luke. It was an untouchable subject at the Lars homestead.

"Leia, go back to the shuttle," Anakin commanded, sounding harsh, angry.

Leia shook her head. She had a right to know, maybe not for herself, but for Luke.

"Why won't you just tell me?"

"Because it's none of your business!" Anakin whirled on her and Leia jumped back. Fury, grief and frustration all mashed together attacked Leia, but for the first time, those particular emotions didn't belong to her, but to Anakin.

Leia's eyes widened. He blamed himself.

Unable to hold his blazing gaze, she looked away.

_"Luke! I found something!" __Leia turned the datapad in her hands, brushing off the sand._

_"What is it?" Asked Luke curiously, having come running. She was glad to hear the excitement of some kind in his voice after the rough week they both had._

_"I don't know." She flipped it open and saw that it had a tiny videorecorder and payback screen. "It looks like a journal of some kind." _

_"Is it functional?"_

_"I think so."_

_"Come on, let's bring it inside."_

_..._

_"Leia, I don't think we should be watching this…"_

_"But I think I know her." Though Leia knew that was ludicrous. Yet, it was like she recognized the dark-eyed woman with the small nose and brown hair pulled back. It was one of those _feelings_ she sometimes got._

_The woman looked tired but serene. Both children jumped as the woman's image was replaced by a bald blue head and fluttering pair of wings that moved so fast they were a blur in the background. He demanded to know where the woman got the journal, then urged her back to work. _

_The display then went black-the end of first entry._

_"Maybe we should leave it until aunt Beru comes home," Luke suggested._

_"Why? I'm the one who found it. She's only going to take it away." _

_"I guess so," Luke agreed._

_Leia sighed. She knew Luke was still nervous and a bit jumpy, but she could feel through the Force that this was important. So she played the second entry. _

_The woman's face once again appeared in the display, smiling. _

_She began talking, and Leia suddenly thought that Luke was right and they were intruding, since the woman talked about the diary being for someone named Ani. She was about to turn it off when she heard her address him by his real name instead of a nickname. _

_Anakin. _

_Leia almost dropped the journal._

_"Was she talking about my father?" Luke exclaimed._

_"I don't know, maybe. I mean, how many Anakins are there?"_

_"She talked about him leaving to archive great things. It must be him!" _

_Leia frowned, thinking it over. "I guess so."_

_"Well, go on, play another one." Urged Luke._

_Luke was proven right when the woman spoke next about finding out that the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn, who was supposed to train Anakin to become a Jedi got killed. She expressed her worries about him not having someone to train him. But by that time both Luke and Leia sat shocked at hearing one particular word. Slave._

_"My father used to be a slave?" _

_"Your Master never told you that?" _

_Luke shook his head._

_"But he did tell you about Qui-Gon Jinn?"_

_"A few times, but only briefly. He used to be his Master."_

_They both sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking._

_"That's my grandmother who spoke," Luke said softly._

_Leia turned to look at him. "The one that is buried outside?" _

_Luke nodded. "Aunt Beru still refuses to speak about her." _

_Leia knew that was true, after all, she had tried asking about the people buried outside before whit no avail. _

_She stared at the journal. If aunt Beru found out about it she would surely take it away. _

_"Do you want to hear the rest of it?" Aunt Beru would be back soon. _

_"Of course, I do!"_

_"Then we won't tell her about it. We'll keep it a secret." _

_Luke smiled, then nodded, relieved. _

And they did keep it a secret. Always keeping the journal hidden and only listening to it when aunt Beru wasn't home. They learned a lot about Anakin Skywalker's childhood from it, things that Luke's Master never told him. Also, about how Luke's grandmother met Cliegg Lars and how he freed her. They even got to learn more about Owen and Beru. How Owen reminded Luke's grandmother of Anakin since they were the same age. But most of all-Shmi Skywalker. Leia felt happy she was able to extend Luke's knowledge about his family this way. While pushing her own longing aside. After that first time she never once again wondered why Shmi Skywalker had looked so familiar, pushing it to the very back of her mind.

The journal felt incomplete once they had gotten to the very last entry. Shmi had spoken about Tusken Raiders out in the plain and how Cliegg-Shmi's husband was going to the Dorr Farm the next day to start organizing local farmers. The last words on the entry were "We'll be fine, Anakin, I'm sure." And staring at her Master now she could barely keep the tears at bay.

"I'm sorry Leia I shouldn't have snapped at you. Come on, let's go back."

Luke and Leia had wondered about her death a lot. They even tried asking aunt Beru with no help. She wouldn't budge.

Leia shook her head, battling the tightness in her throat.

Leia never told Luke, but she regretted finding the journal. Not because of it's content, but because of who it was addressed to.

It was never supposed to fall into Leia's hands, neither was it supposed to fall into Luke's. It was supposed to be Luke's farther's. Luke's grandmother had stored every detail of her life with the hope that one day the journal would have a chance to reach her son. But it never did.

Leia had known that it had bothered her, but until this moment she hadn't realized how much. Not until she felt Anakin's grief and guilt. So much like her own in regards to Luke.

"Something happened to her, didn't it? That's why it got lost."

"Leia, I don't…"

Leia wasn't even waiting for an answer as she whirled around, marching past the graveyard toward the vaporators.

"Leia, stop," Anakin said, grabbing her elbow.

Leia pulled it free, "Do you want it, or not?"

A rhetorical question. Leia wasn't sure what she was doing, or even if she was supposed to be doing this. Only that she was.

She looked between the vaporators, trying to remember.

"Which one, which one…" She kept mumbling to herself.

"Leia, you're not making any sense."

Mushroom, she'd been plucking mushrooms.

Leia fell on her knees before the vaporator. Palms down on the sand, she closed her eyes, concentrating.

With a deep frown between her eyebrows, she reached out through the Force. A second, then two passed, and she thought she had the wrong one until she felt it. Leia's frown eased as she positioned her hands above the ground, then Force-pulled.

The sand gave way, as the journal was yanked upward by an invisible force. Leia caught it, a relieved smile on her face. It was the same. Of course, it was, but still.

Brushing off the sand, she stood up. Only to look up at a quizzical and frustrated Anakin. Leia looked back down at the journal in her hands. Yeah, maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Too late to turn back now.

"Promise me, if I give this to you, you won't tell the Council, Master Kenobi, or anyone about it."

Anakin frowned, "Leia, you're not making any sense right now."

"Promise me."

Anakin raised an eyebrow. "You want me to lie to the Jedi Council because of an old datapad?"

"It's not a datapad. It's a journal."

"A journal?"

"Yes, a diary."

"And this is important because…"

"Because it belonged to someone who used to live here."

Silence. Leia stared up at Anakin's shocked expression.

"Who?"

"I think you know," Leia said softly.

Anakin's eyes widened as he reached for it only for Leia to step back.

"Give it to me Leia."

"Promise me," Leia urged. Then thinking better-"You will also tell Master Yoda you've changed your mind about me being ready."

She raised her chin defiantly, as Anakin stared at her disbelievingly. "If you're lying…"

"Then I'll stay at the Temple and won't bother you ever again."

She raised a challenging eyebrow.

Multiple emotions seem to pass her Master's face. Suspicion, regret, resentment, then something inscrutable.

"I promise." Said Anakin, finally.

"And about my training?"

"If what you're claiming is true, I'll speak to Master Yoda and tell him you've managed to prove me wrong, but if you're lying Princess…"

"I'm not."

She looked down at the journal, then sighed. "Here," she said, handing it to Anakin who took it with an unsettled look on his face.

"And since I'm not lying, I would appreciate, if we never spoke of this again. Which I'm sure you'll be happy to do."

She turned then, marching in the direction of the Twilight. She felt as if she'd done something major and she wasn't quite sure if that was a good thing or a bad one. She glanced back at Anakin. Maybe he would stop feeling the turmoil of emotion he did whenever his mother came up. She might not know how Shmi Skywalker died or what happened, but she knew that she'd been happy here. Just like Leia.

Leia twirled around to look at the setting sky. The sunsets were truly the most beautiful thing here. She used to enjoy watching them almost as much as Luke loved watching the stars. She smiled, completely oblivious to Anakin's pondering, yet hopeful gaze directed at her.

Maybe she could change something after all. Fate wasn't meant to be set in stone, no matter what they claimed. She would be the proof of that.

****Edited.****

**NOTE: I'm not sure If you know, many of you might not be aware, but I got the idea of Shmi Skywalker's journal from the Legend Universe, the book "Tatooine Ghost" by Troy Denning. In the book, the journal was also found nearby one of the vaparators, with the idea that Shmi had dropped it there for someone to find once she got captured by the Sand People. Once found the journal had been given to Leia. That's how I got the idea that if Leia had gone to live with Luke, that maybe she would have a chance to find it herself, but much earlier. I didn't put all the entries, only describing it briefly, you can try checking it out on the internet if you would like. But I'm sure I'll come back to it in greater detail in later chapters. I just didn't want to repeat everything there, thinking some of you are already aware of it. **

**Thank you for reading and REVIEW! **


	7. Chapter 7

Leia rested her chin on her knees, keeping them tightly pressed against her chest as she wrapped her arms around them. Her datapad was laying on the cot farther away from where she sat, where she'd thrown it just moments before. Leia glanced at it with a scowl.

It still displayed the image of Sheev Palpatine, humble and true. A good leader, they say, a true, rightful Supreme Chancellor unlike the others before him. Leia looked away, closing her eyes tightly. Were they right?

She let out a shuddering breath. She didn't know.

Everything was so… twisted. Yet, he must be the same. Everything in Leia screamed that she was right about this.

But he looked different. Human. Leia shuddered, recalling the disfigured image of Darth Sidious. How terrified he'd made her feel. She'd never been more terrified of anything ever since. Except, perhaps, his apprentice, Darth Vader.

Leia shook her head. No. They couldn't be the same. Maybe Darth Sidious had replaced him, taken over his identity. But how? And how could she be sure? She was just a child. She hadn't known then, so how was she supposed to know now?

Leia let out a pitiful sound, almost like a wail. What was she supposed to do? It was too much, too much to handle on her own. She wished she could talk to Luke. Or her guardian, or even aunt Beru. Her parents.

A tear slipped through her eyelids. Her parents, who currently didn't even know her. Even if she could go to them, convince them she was from the future, would they trust her? They didn't know her. They haven't even made the decision to adopt her yet. Hadn't made the choice to be her parents. She was no one to them now.

Leia raised her head, brushing away the tear, and turned to look down at the datapad. She reached for it, settling it onto her lap.

She glared at the picture of Palpaltine then turned it off. She certainly wasn't scared of him now. Nothing scared her anymore.

Sniffling, Leia typed in another name into the search.

A picture of Padmé Amidala appeared before her. Leia frowned, trying to brush off the dream-like state that tried to overcome her. Feelings and images tried to reach her as they sometimes did, but she pushed them all away. Nothing good ever came from Leia's _knowings_. It mostly always involved the past. Past people, past feelings, past places. It was a good thing she'd learned how to ignore them. Though she hadn't had them for a while now, not since she got stuck here.

Still, she _knew_ something about the Senator was different like she'd seen her before, like she _knew_ her. Leia sighed. She must have touched something of hers as a child, or maybe she'd visited a place the Senator used to spend her time at. It didn't matter. What did matter was why Leia had no idea who the woman in the picture was before coming here. Not even a whisper of a name, a title-nothing. She'd learned so much from her father and guardian about the Clone Wars, yet never once did she hear the name Padmé Amidala. But then again, no name was ever mentioned. Like something was being kept from her.

Or maybe she was theorizing too much again. After all, she'd never been to Naboo. The place that both the Senator and Chancellor were allegedly from. Who knew, maybe the Senator was a traitor too? Leia turned off the datapad. There was no use. The best Leia could do now was stay unnoticed. If anyone found out what she knew…

Knowledge was power, risk that power getting into the wrong hands and it will destroy you. And Leia had too many people she needed to protect to ever risk that.

Trust no one. That was her main rule. She had to follow it.

oOo

"Where have you been, Princess?"

At least he didn't sound mad. Annoyed, maybe, but not mad. Leia looked up at her Master and shrugged.

"Any news on the mystery weapon?" She asked instead.

Anakin gave Leia a look that said he knew exactly what she was doing. Yeah, well Leia felt far too drained to think of a convincing excuse, so she rather chose to go for a distraction, no matter how pitiful. She just forgot her Master was far from stupid.

"No." He stared at her skeptically, then sighed. "You'll have to talk to me sometime, Leia."

She stiffened.

Since Tatooine they hadn't talked about his mother or the journal. Leia had been successful at evading that particular topic since her Master didn't seem comfortable discussing it either, but he still had questions. Leia _knew_ he had. She could feel it in the way he sometimes looked at her when he thought she wasn't aware, or the way his mood would change from suspicion to distrust whenever she was around.

Leia told herself she didn't care. As long as they wouldn't talk about it, she was safe.

Leia once again felt the burn of Anakin's gaze, but desperately tried to ignore it, pretending she wasn't aware of it.

Oh, who was she kidding? Giving him the journal was a mistake. She'd promised herself she would be careful. Giving your future best friend's father his deceased mother's journal, that no one knew existed, was anything but.

Silly little princess. Silly little girl. Now silly little Padawan.

She wasn't fooling anyone.

What lead her to believe she could play this game? A game of grownups and their politics. Their lies and betrayals. Their war for power.

She was just a kid. No one told her the rules of such a cruel game.

Leia stepped away from Anakin, walking closer to the cruiser's viewport. So many stars, so many places. Yet she didn't know a single thing about them. No one gave her the time to learn. No one asked if she would like to.

Another mission. Jedi Cruiser Resolute. Bith system. General Grievous.

That's it. That's all she knew. Was it enough?

No. It wasn't.

How did the war start? Leia glanced at her Master. He knew. He was there. In the battle of Geonosis. Would he tell her if she asked?

Leia smiled bitterly, turning away.

Her 'Master' wouldn't have even taken her on this mission if it weren't for the promise he'd made.

It was the only good thing that came out of the journal. But was it worth it? Again, she didn't know. She didn't know anything. She only pretended to.

Leia turned away from the viewport, moving back to where her Master stood, studying the plans on the HoloNet.

They had a weapon, the Sith. A weapon of some kind that Leia wasn't familiar with.

How could she think about changing the course of fate if she had no idea of what went wrong in the first place? Only bits and pieces, that didn't add up. Like Chancellor Palpatine. Like her Master-Anakin Skywalker.

Suddenly, the plans were replaced by a hologram of Plo Koon and his Padawan.

Momentarily, Leia was thrown off-guard, but then a true smile appeared on her face, as she beamed at one particular person.

"'Soka!" Leia shouted excitedly at the holoimage of a young Tortuga female.

Leia's only friend grinned in return. "Spacegirl!"

Leia rolled her eyes at the annoying nickname but continued to smile. She'd missed her.

Plo Koon glanced at his Padawan, then at Leia, "Perhaps we should postpone your reunion and focus on the current situation."

"Sorry, Master." Said Ahsoka sheepishly.

"How's the hunt for the mystery weapon going?" asked Anakin but not after giving Leia a disapproving look. Leia didn't care. She'd missed Ahsoka. They haven't had the opportunity to spend any time together since they'd both been assigned to their Masters.

"We've tracked it to the Abregado system. We need reinforcements." Ahsoka's Master Plo Koon told them.

Leia briefly wondered how were things going for Ahsoka and her new Master. She seemed fine as she gave Leia an encouraging smile, cheerful and determined as ever. Leia wished she could tell the same about herself. Or her relationship with her own Master.

"I'll have to ask the Council, Master Plo. I was given strict orders to protect our staging area."

Ahsoka gave Leia a worried look.

Her Master had to be kidding. Ask the Council, for what? Permission to help?

But before Leia could object, the hologram of Ahsoka and her Master started crackling.

"Ahsoka?" Leia called out, but the hologram had already faded out completely.

oOo

"Well, are we going to help them, or not?"

"It's not that simple Princess, we have to see what the Council decides first. This is an important meeting, Leia. Remember, be mindful, and speak only when spoken to."

They stopped in front of closed doors.

Leia was sick and tired of hearing those words. "Translation: be a good little girl, because no one really cares what you think. Got it."

"That's not what I meant."

Leia exhaled. She knew he meant well, at least she thought he did. She was just worried. What if they said no? She couldn't just leave Ahsoka and her Master when she knew they needed help.

"I know it's not."

Jedi and their rules. Leia wondered what Luke would have thought once he'd found out how many there actually were. That having Force-sensitivity was far from enough. How quickly they tended to judge.

No wonder her guardian had quit.

The doors slid open with a hiss.

"This mystery weapon has struck in a dozen systems and disappeared once again," Leia heard Mace Windu speak.

They stepped before a hologram of Master Yoda, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Mace Windu, and… _oh no_.

"We cannot afford to lose any more ships, my friends." Spoke Sheev Palpaltine. Why hadn't her Master warned her that the Council also meant the Chancellor?

Before Leia had any time to react or even think about fleeing, Palpaltine turned to look at them.

Unconsciously, Leia moved closer to Anakin. All the courage and certainty, she'd just had moments before, evaporating.

_He's not the same_. She tried to assure herself.

"Ah, Master Skywalker," the middle-aged man spoke. He didn't sound like a Sith Lord. Neither did he look like one. He seemed the complete opposite, actually. "Have you had any success in finding General Grievous' secret weapon?"

Nonetheless, Leia felt sick, fear twisting her insides. She clenched her fists trying to assure herself she was not in danger.

Anakin clicked a button on the panel making a red planet appear in the hologram before the Council members.

"Master Plo was here in the Abregado system when we lost contact." Leia's Master spoke.

Leia stood like a statue, perfectly still, not letting any emotion show on her face. The only indication of her mixed emotions were her fingernails biting into her skin.

"We've had no further contact with General Plo Koon. The absence of distress beacons indicates that his fleet was…" Anakin glanced at Leia, but she wasn't looking at him, staring emotionlessly at the ground instead. "-that his fleet was destroyed, like the others. We are about to prepare a rescue mission."

"Hasn't clone intelligence reported this weapon never leaves any survivors?" Spoke the Chancellor.

The question sounded innocent. Merely a thought. But Leia heard the deeper meaning.

If others hadn't survived, why would they?

"The Separatists are being unusually tidy. They don't want any witnesses." Observed Obi-Wan Kenobi thoughtfully.

"Tragic are these losses, but prevent more, we must." Master Yoda said.

Tragic? Ahsoka was _everything_ to Leia. The only person she had left.

"All our battle groups will be reassigned to guard our supply convoys. Including yours Skywalker. We can't risk any. " Oh, how Leia hated Mace Windu at that moment. She let out a shuddering breath, yet didn't speak. Knew, that she couldn't. This wasn't home. This wasn't the Rebellion. And these people were strangers to her. Strangers she could not trust to be on her side.

"We will deploy as you've instructed, Master." Leia couldn't help but stare at Anakin as he spoke. So he was willing to leave them too?

They were all the same. No wonder that in the end, no matter who this Chancellor exactly was, the Sith had won. What did Luke use to say? Politics weren't for the Jedi? Well, he hadn't been wrong about that. Yet, why did they seem to meddle in them now if it was not their purpose?

The hologram disappeared. Leaving Leia feeling helpless and guilty. Because if something happened to Ahsoka it would be all her fault.

"So, we are leaving them?" The words were said in a calm manner but filled with steel.

"We have our orders, Leia. You heard them, there might be no survivors."

"Might. But there's still a chance that Ahsoka and her Master are still alive."

Anakin raised an eyebrow, "So that's what it's all about, your friend?"

No. She might not know Master Plo-Koon that well, but it was still so much more than that. Ahsoka was so much more. How could Leia ever begin to explain?

Before Leia could argue any further the doors slid open and Admiral Yularen walked in, followed by two other officers.

Leia wasn't yet sure about the Admiral, but from all she had seen and heard so far, she'd come to the conclusion that Admiral Yularen wasn't very keen on her Master.

Anakin stepped forward. "Admiral. We'll split up our ships to maximize our defense area. I'll scout ahead for enemy activity."

"Isn't that risky with the mystery weapon out there?"

"It might be," admitted Anakin. "But I know _you_ won't argue my orders." The jab was clearly aimed at Leia, but she didn't care. She couldn't care less about being the perfect little Padawan they all expected her to be.

Not when Ahsoka was in danger. Not when it was all her fault.

"Come on, Princess."

oOo

"Set those new coordinates, Artoo?" Anakin asked abroad the Twilight. Leia sat in the co-pilot's seat before the viewpoint continuously glaring at the distance.

She was so lost. So alone. She wished she could tell someone. Tell it all. But she knew she could never risk it. Ahsoka was the only one she ever came close to, but just like everyone else here, she wasn't the same.

"Hope you're not planning on sulking all the way there," Anakin commented as they entered hyperspace.

Leia shrugged carelessly, "What is it to you?"

Anakin narrowed his eyes. "I know you might be having a hard time Leia, but it doesn't excuse your backchat, which I'm beginning to tire of."

"Fine by me, let's not talk at all then."

_"I don't need a caretaker!" Leia shouted, pulling her arm free from her new guardian's grasp. _

_"Good, because I'm the farthest from a caretaker you could get." The melodic voice spoke. It sounded understanding and calm, which only pushed Leia's buttons further. _

_"Then why don't you leave me alone!"_

_"You know I can't do that Leia. It's still dangerous out there, and until we get to the place your father instructed, you'll have to stick by my side."_

_Leia's agitation only rose at the mention of her father. She wanted to cry and yell. Why wasn't he here, with her?_

_"Well, I don't care! And I don't wanna go to this stupid place! If papa wanted me there he would have taken me there himself!"_

_Leia kicked at a nearby rock, sending it flying down a steep, to the lake below. It made a soft plop sound as it connected with the water._

_"I know you're angry Leia, I am too." Softly spoke Leia's new companion._

_Leia hesitated. The female sounded sincere. Maybe even apologetic. But she told herself she didn't care. She didn't care about anyone or anything anymore. _

_"What do you have to be angry for?" She asked nonetheless before she could stop herself._

_The Togruta female crouched down, gently turning Leia around by her elbow, making her face her._

_"A lot of things." She ran her hand through Leia's pixie length hair. "Can I tell you a secret?" Leia only glared at her, refusing to speak. _

_"You're right. You don't need me. Do you know why?"_

_Still scowling, Leia shook her head. She didn't care. Or maybe she did. _

_The humanoid female smiled softly. "Because you've proven yourself to be so strong, stronger than I could ever be."_

_Leia frowned in confusion. _

_The first thing the female before her had done upon meeting Leia, was help her lock up everything behind that heavy door in her deepest, darkest mind corners and then tell her not to come near it ever again unless she was told otherwise. But Leia could still faintly feel the content that hid behind that door. The darkness. The terrors. The secrets. She needed to forget them, forget them all._

_"You're lying," Leia whispered. _

_The female raised a challenging eyebrow. "Am I? Leia, it's because of you those prisoners are free, but most importantly it's you who refused to let them destroy the special girl I know you are." _

_Leia shuddered, some of the memories trying to break through. But not all of them. Not when they were still tightly barred up behind that door Leia never wanted to go near again._

_Even if the female before her changed her mind and forced her to. _

_A tear rolled down Leia's cheek as she sniffled. _

_"I don't want to be like them." She admitted._

The nasty voices. The cold embrace of darkness. The promise of power.

_"I know." _

_And Leia believed her, that she understood her. Maybe because of her patience and understanding. Or maybe because she was the one that helped her hide all those things away. _

_Leia wrapped her arms around her new guardian's neck, sobbing, as she was lifted into the air, into the safety of her arms. _

_"Don't worry little Skygirl as long as I'm here, no one is going to hurt you ever again. I promise."_

It's not easy to forget. Much less to let go. That's why Leia let Ahsoka get so close even when she knew she shouldn't. Because Leia had recognized her the moment she sat down beside her during her first month at the Jedi Temple.

It was also the very first time since Leia's arrival when she had genuinely smiled. Because even if Ahsoka seemed different, she was still the same.

She was still Ahsoka Tano, Leia's former guardian.

oOo

"Artoo, tune the scanners for life forms. Highest sensitivity."

Leia frowned in confusion, raising her head to look at the viewport. Where were they?

"The Abregado system," said Leia disbelievingly, staring at the bright red planet in the distance. "What are we doing here, if we're supposed to be looking for the mystery weapon?"

"Lives are in danger Leia, we can't just turn our backs on them."

"Then why didn't you say anything before!"

"Doing what the Jedi Council says, that's one thing, how we go about doing it, that's another."

Leia rolled her eyes, though she smiled, relieved. There was hope then.

"So what you're trying to teach me is that the right way to do it, is behind the Council's back?" Before Anakin could object, Leia beamed, grinning. "I love it."

"Now, don't get all excited." Said Anakin, though he looked pleased. "Hurry up and switch on the illuminator."

"You do know, however, that the fleet will miss us eventually, right?" Leia couldn't help but point out.

"I know, that's why we need to hurry before they do," Anakin said with a blatant smile.

oOo

As they neared the planet Leia only became more impatient, which fueled her worry. What if they were too late?

"The scanners are pretty much useless. And by the look of it, there's nothing on the emergency channel either."

"Patience Leia. However, I must warn you, we might find something you don't want to find."

"I know." She said. But she couldn't think about that now, though. Couldn't let that fear overrule her. If something happened to Ahsoka, it _would_ be Leia's fault.

"How do you know Master Plo's Padawan anyway?"

Leia chewed on her lower lip.

"Now, Princess, we're looking for them, are we not?"

Leia rolled her eyes. "You would have gone looking for them anyway." Just as she said it she realized she actually believed it to be true. She couldn't help but notice that Anakin seemed to care deeply about the lives of others and how he did his best to protect them. She admired that.

Leia let out a frustrated breath. "I had a rough time at the Temple in the beginning and…she was my first friend there." First and only. Never mind the fact that Leia knew her in the future.

Or the fact, that Ahsoka was supposed to become Anakin's Padawan and not Leia.

She already changed too much and it was beginning to backfire on her.

Leia glanced at the panel. "Incoming transmission Master."

A hologram of Master Obi-Wan appeared before them, instantly turning to look at Leia's Master. "Anakin, where are you?" He sounded exasperated, but not surprised. As if he was long used to his former Padawan disobeying his orders.

"Hello, Master. Uh, we made a quick stop in the Abregado system." Leia noted how nonchalant Anakin sounded, but at the same time nervous. He seemed to care deeply about his former Master's opinion. But so had Luke. Maybe it was the case with most Padawans and their Masters, it's not like they had any other parental figure.

"You _have other orders__._"

"It was my idea Master Obi-Wan. I insisted." Leia heard herself say.

The hologram of Obi-Wan turned to look at her. "Oh, I know Leia. But may I remind you that the rules apply even to _you_."

Leia lowered her gaze. It was weird. Even if she barely knew Ben Kenobi, it was still strange seeing this younger version of him. A version that had no idea of who she was. She didn't want to admit it, but it hurt. Just like it did with Ahsoka. Master Kenobi had saved her multiple times. The first time unintentionally jeopardizing Luke's safety in the process and the second time costing Ben Kenobi his life. She owned him more than she could ever repay.

But not to this version. He wasn't the Master Obi-Wan Kenobi her father had spoken highly of. He wasn't Ben Kenobi who Luke had idolized and aspired to be like. He was just Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Master, a General, and Anakin Skywalker's former Master.

"Well, have you found any survivors?"

"No, you were right. The Separatists don't want any witnesses."

"All the more reason for you to rejoin the defensive escorts. We need you, Anakin. You're going to miss the rendezvous with the fleet if you don't hurry."

"I know Master. We're on our way." The hologram of Master Obi-Wan disappeared and Anakin turned to look at his Padawan. "I'm sorry Leia."

"I _know_ she's alive." She had to be.

_"Don't worry little Skygirl as long as I'm here, no one is going to hurt you ever again. I promise."_

And she had. She had taken care of Leia the best she could while also being in charge of the Rebel Alliance. She had taught Leia everything she knew.

_"You know, everyone here says you're mad, but I don't believe that I think you're just in need of a friend." _

Leia remembered the first time Ahsoka sat beside her at the Jedi Temple. Her shock as she recognized that voice and turned to see a Togruta female who turned out to be the younger version of her former guardian.

_No_. No matter the version. No matter the time. Ahsoka was her friend. That meant she could find her anywhere.

Artoo beeped.

"What is it Artoo?" Anakin asked.

Leia turned to look at Artoo as he swirled his dome, then at her Master. "Well?" She asked impatiently. SHe still had yet to learn Binary.

"Artoo says he's got something on the emergency channel."

"Can he trace it?" Please, please let him be able to trace it.

Artoo let out an excited high-pitched noise.

Leia let out a relieved breath, baing able to understand that much. "Great, let's get going then."

oOo

"What's the use of the signal if we aren't finding anyone! Why aren't we finding anyone?" Leia couldn't take it anymore. The farther they went, the more helpless she felt. All they found were debris. Pieces of fleet parts all scattered in space. She was beginning to lose hope.

"I don't know Leia, I don't know," Anakin said and Leia could feel his anguish too.

Leia scowled to herself, chewing on her lower lip. There has to be something.

She leaned forward, trying the communication signal again.

"Is anyone out there? This is Leia. Please, can somebody hear me?" Leia spoke through it, hoping that someone would answer it. That Ahsoka would answer it.

Nothing.

She tried again. Then again.

Leia groaned. "It's no use!" She hated feeling helpless. "Can't Artoo boost the signal?"

"Patience, we're trying to boost the power."

"Well, maybe you're not trying hard enough." Leia snapped.

"_Leia_," Anakin rebuked.

"Sorry," Leia mumbled.

"You have to be patient." Leia continued to glower at the distance, not saying anything. What would be the point? He wouldn't be able to understand anyway.

oOo

"Anakin, the Council is furious."

Let them be, thought Leia, glaring at her hands on her lap as the hologram of the Chancellor spoke.

"Why have you left your post?" He asked. He sounded agreeable. Like a father letting his son explain himself before fully appraising the situation. Leia didn't like it.

"I decided we couldn't just give up on Master Plo Koon." And Anakin was explaining himself just like he did to Obi-Wan. Leia clenched her fists.

From a very young age, Leia had learned a lot by watching adults interact. She had been a princess after all. That's how she'd learned to mimic them. To notice the little things in their manner that would show her their true intentions.

But with the Chancellor, she felt like she was grasping at straws. There was nothing. He was the perfect image of an honorable leader. It's as if it was all in her head.

"A noble gesture, Anakin." The Chancellor said. "But the Council feels your daring may put others in danger. Please, listen to me Anakin. Return at once."

Yet, his image seemed a bit too perfect. Everyone had flaws, especially people in power, no matter how well they hid it.

"Yes, Excellency." Anakin agreed. The hologram disappeared.

Her Master was giving up.

It was all up to her then. And unlike him, she wasn't one to be swayed easily. She wasn't going to give up.

Leia breathed out softly, drawing strength, and closed her eyes.

Leia didn't connect to people easily. But once she did, those bonds were unbreakable as well as irreplaceable. That's why no matter where, no matter when, she would always be able to find Ahsoka; would know her anywhere. Because she'd learned some time ago, that Force-bonds could never be truly broken. Not even by death.

So she did the only thing left to do. She reached out.

Leia could feel everything and everyone around her; the limitless galaxy filled with wonder.

Briefly, she sensed Anakin, but before she had a chance to let herself fall deeper into his presence-she pulled back.

She told herself she needed to find Ahsoka, that it had nothing to do with the fear, she would sense something she wouldn't like. Something, anything, that would remind her of, well, Vader.

She immediately focused on her guardian instead. Because Ahsoka was her friend, but in a way would always be her guardian as well; the thread Leia would always be able to hold onto.

And she felt her; felt her the same way she always felt her guardian.

They were the same, yet different. But no matter how different Leia should have known she would be able to recognize her anywhere.

"I'm sorry, Leia," Anakin spoke.

Leia's eyes snapped open.

"We can't leave."

"Leia, I want to believe Master Plo and his Padawan are alive, but…"

"I know she's alive! I can sense it." She grabbed the controls, steering the Twilight to her left.

"Leia!" Anakin shouted, just as Artoo let out a long squeal, rolling to the side.

"I know where they are!" She should have trusted herself more, shouldn't have let her doubt and fear blind her. The fear she kept telling herself wasn't actually there.

"There!" She shouted.

And it was there, amongst all the debris, floating in space. A pod; and figures hanging onto that pod.

"Ready tow cable…" Anakin instructed, instantly in action.

Leia jumped up from her seat, running over to where Artoo stood, punching over the controls. "Cable loaded."

Using a tow harpoon and cable Leia winches in the Pod.

Both Anakin and Leia rushed over to the pod in the cargo bay.

She noticed Master Plo Koon instantly, hunched against the outside of the pod, along with a few clone officers. Even though just moments before she'd felt her alive, blind fear consumed Leia. Leia ran, falling on her knees before Master Plo Koon, steadying him. "Where's Ahsoka?"

She knew and liked him well enough. At least he always tried to act like she was no different from the rest of the younglings, in contrast to the rest of the Council.

"Still inside." He said. Leia breathed a sigh of relief.

She stood up, just as Anakin Force-pulled the pod open.

A commander stepped out and after him a young Togruta female.

"Ahsoka!" Leia shouted, rushing over just as she stumbled. Leia caught her, keeping her upwards.

"Hey, Spacegirl. How are things?" She mumbled weakly, trying to smile, but failing miserably.

Leia settled her on the ground, next to the just as weak Commander whose name she didn't know. "You okay?"

Ahsoka nodded, "Never been better, don't worry. Where's my Master?" That's Ahsoka to you, always worrying about someone else.

"He's fine. He's here." Leia assured, knowing she meant Master Plo. She had herself to blame for that.

"I'm sorry," Leia said, after a few minutes of quiet as Ahsoka collected herself. She messed up big time.

Ahsoka frowned, "What are you sorry for? If it weren't for you we would still be stuck in that pod."

Before Leia could open her mouth to explain, or sum up some excuse, since she couldn't exactly be truthful, the medical droid they always brought with them on Twilight since the incident with Jabba's son, moved over, checking up on the Commander.

"Will they be alright?" Anakin asked.

"The pressure suits offer some protection, but they require a medical frigate for recovery." The droid said, probably having in mind the other three clone troopers. "I will stabilize them, sir. Your men are safe now."

Leia frowned in concern.

"I'm fine. Here, help me up." Ahsoka assured. Leia did, even though Ahsoka was a whole head taller than her, so it wasn't as much as Leia holding her up, as Ahsoka was giving the pretense of leaning on her. They walked over to where Plo Koon was resting and Ahsoka sat down next to him.

"You okay Master?"

"I could ask you the same little 'Soka, you should rest."

"I'm fine. Actually, I'm feeling pretty good all things considered." Frowning, Ahsoka glanced up at Leia. "Did you do something?"

Leia looked away, uncomfortable. "What do you mean?"

"I felt you. I mean, I think I did. That's how you found us, isn't it?"

Leia shrugged, not willing to offer unnecessary information, that would only raise more questions. She felt everyone's eyes on her but refused to meet any of them. She wasn't sure how strong the Force-bond was from Ahsoka's side.

"Tell me, were there any other survivors?" Plo Koon finally asked Anakin.

"We couldn't find anybody else," Anakin said regretfully.

"The hunters must have destroyed the rest."

Ahsoka's shoulders slumped. Leia took notice of how upset she seemed.

"They were good men," Ahsoka whispered sadly and Leia saw Master Plo squeeze her hand comfortingly.

More death. Leia hadn't even considered how Ahsoka would feel about that. Forgetting, that even though Ahsoka was a few years older, she was nowhere near as experienced as the version of her guardian had been. It might as well be Ahsoka's first time brushing with death.

"I'm sorry," Leia said, meaning more than she could ever explain. Knowing, that the apology wouldn't be enough.

oOo

"You sure you don't want to rest with the others?" Leia asked Ahsoka.

"No, I'm fine. Besides, I can't pass the opportunity, when I know that's the only reason you're letting me in front of the controls." Said Ahsoka cheerfully, sitting in the co-pilot's seat which Leia had occupied only moments before, worrying about the said person's fate.

Leia smiled, but it wasn't her real one.

If Ahsoka had been Leia's guardian, she would have known that Leia was currently feeling guilty. But she wasn't her.

Leia leaned against the backside of Anakin's seat whit him piloting the shuttle.

This wasn't right.

It wasn't right, that Leia was the one calling Anakin Master, while Ahsoka called Plo Koon her's. Yet, no one seemed to be aware of that except for her. Because she was the one out of place. She was the imposter. She was the selfish one. And Ahsoka almost died because of that.

"You okay?" Asked the person in front of her.

Leia cocked her head, looking down at Anakin as he stared up at her.

Those were Luke's eyes again. And for a moment Leia could pretend it was her best friend she was currently staring at. But only for a moment, because while they were similar in some ways. They were completely different in others.

Because Anakin's eyes never held the same curiosity and child-like wonder Luke's always had. Instead, they showed experience, wisdom, and pain.

Leia nodded, blinking. She wasn't used to the concern.

A deep frown appeared between Anakin's eyebrows as he looked away.

"What happened, anyway?" Leia asked, turning her head to look at Ahsoka and her Master. She needed to concentrate on something. Something, that wouldn't let her question just how bad she was messing things up by being here.

"We tracked the mystery weapon to this system. That is when we found out it was an ion cannon." Plo Koon explained.

Leia's eyebrows rose in confusion. "An ion cannon?"

"A weapon that neutralizes all power to their ships, leaving the targets defenseless," Ahsoka added helpfully.

Leia frowned to herself, thoughtful. She didn't think she'd heard of such a thing before, which must mean it had lost its effect at some point.

Leia sighed. But, yet again, what did she know about enemy weapons? She had been eight at that time. Then, only a year later, had once again found herself in the Empire's clutches when everything fell apart.

"There's a massive vessel approaching," Anakin said, glancing at the scanner.

"Shut down the power systems before they detect us." Master Plo commanded, hurriedly punching over the controls.

Darkness greeted Leia, as all light disappeared from within the shuttle and they stopped moving, floating in space instead.

Artoo chirped.

"The droid." Plo Koon reminded.

Leia hurried toward the astromech droid, shutting him off, but not after he wailed pitifully. It wasn't the first time she did that, at least not for her. However, it was the first time she felt like apologizing for it.

Leia walked back toward the viewpoint, her mouth dropping open.

"Well, doesn't it look just friendly enough not to crush us?"

It was huge. A heavy warship and it was heading straight toward them.

Leia felt like holding her breath as it slowly moved past them in the semi-darkness. But then, just when she thought they were in the safe, it started to turn.

"They are coming back." Anakin drawled.

"Were all the systems shut down?"

Just as Plo Koon voiced his question the medical droid presented itself.

"Is there a problem, sir?"

Leia groaned. "Of course we had to forget the medical droid."

All four of them rushed to the controls, trying to turn the power back on as quickly as possible.

"We've got to get the power back on, now." Anakin urged.

"May I be of assistance?" The medical droid asked.

"No thanks. Just get in the back and take care of the clones."

"That is my programming, sir."

"Come on, we've gotta get out of here."Anakin prompted.

"I'm on it!" Leia called out annoyed, trading places with Ahsoka.

They moved through the debris field, as quickly as they could.

"Artoo, program the navicomputer. Be ready to get us out of here."

"May I remind you, he's still turned off?" Remarked Leia.

"Don't worry, I'll get him." Ahsoka assured.

They lurched to the side, as Anakin maneuvered through the obstacles.

"Artoo, program the hyperdrive." Anakin ordered.

Artoo chirped a question, which, surprisingly, Leia understood.

"Doesn't matter, just hurry!" Leia prompted momentarily forgetting herself.

They were moving at the largest speed they could muster. Her Master skillfully maneuvering through the debris field.

Leia's eyes widened as she saw the huge glowing energy field in the scanner moving just inches away from them. One wrong move and the ship would be stripped of its power, leaving them defenseless.

"Clear!" Leia shouted, just as they made it out of the debris field.

Then they were moving through hyperspace, and Leia felt herself sigh in relief.

oOo

"So how is your training going with Master Plo?" Leia asked Ahsoka as she checked on Artoo who still seemed grumpy after being disconnected by her previously.

They were at the Jedi Cruiser, having made it safely, with their Masters still at the shuttle probably discussing one thing or another, or just checking on the clones.

"Great, actually. We haven't been on many missions so far, and he is a member of the Council, but I couldn't have asked for a better Master." Leia inwardly cringed at that. "What about you?"

Leia shrugged, "Adjusting."

Ahsoka frowned, "You're struggling?"

Leia shook her head, if only it were that simple. "It's not about that."

"What do you mean? Have you changed your mind?"

"No, I haven't. Forget I said anything." Leia said, feeling a bit frustrated. She glanced back at the shuttle, they should come out any minute now.

"Is it about the future thing?" Ahsoka asked softly.

Leia's eyes widened, as she quickly glanced around to see if anybody overheard. There were a few clones around, but they seemed to mind their own business.

"Ahsoka!"

"I know, I know. But it is about that, isn't it?"

Leia bit her lip, groaning inwardly. She just had to tell Ahsoka, didn't she?

"In a way. But I told you, no one knows that besides you and the Council, so would you mind keeping your voice down?"

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, "No one is listening, not that they would understand even if they were and… Wait, your Master doesn't know?!"

Leia shushed her, glancing at Artoo distrustingly before pulling Ahsoka aside.

"I can't believe you Spacegirl, Masters and Padawans shouldn't be keeping secrets from each other."

"I'm not keeping secrets, I'm just…withholding information. Besides, the Council agreed it would be better if my Master didn't know."

"The Council told you that!?" Ahsoka shouted aghast. "But…"

"You're not going to change my mind on this 'Soka. The relationship between me and my Master is strained enough after he refused to train me."

Ahsoka's eyes widened. "He did that?! But why?"

Leia rolled her eyes. "You said it yourself before, he's the Chosen One, and I'm pretty sure he's aware of that little detail too."

"But you're…"

"Another youngling he knows nothing about. I'm not just going to go around telling everyone I'm 'special'. I'd only be setting them up for a huge disappointment, anyway."

"You're not a disappointment." Ahsoka objected solemnly.

Leia smiled sadly, "Even though I refuse to tell you anything about the future?"

"Even though. Besides, you saved my life, don't think I'll forget that anytime soon. "

Leia rolled her eyes but smiled slightly.

"Thanks for getting us out of there in one peace General Skywalker." Both girls turned to see Leia's Master descending down the ledge with the Commander from Plo-Koon's and Ahsoka's fleet, the one they have saved.

"You have my Padawan to thank for that. She seemed certain you guys would pull through." Anakin said, once again frowning down at the said Padawan.

"General Plo said someone would come for us, we're glad he was right."

"You mean, I told you, that Leia would come." Ahsoka corrected.

"You too, Ahsoka."

Leia chuckled, raising one eyebrow at Ahsoka.

"What? I did tell them. Except no one listened. They didn't even believe me when I told them you would go off alone if you had to. And don't tell me you wouldn't have, I'm pretty sure I know you well enough by now." Ahsoka ranted, not noticing Leia's expression.

Something in Leia's throat tightened. Because Ahsoka was right, she would have.

And finally, Leia realized it. She might have lost her guardian, and while coming here hadn't exactly brought her back, she'd gained something just as valuable: a friend.

"Skywalker, it is time to give our report to the Council." Plo Koon said, moving down the shuttle's ledge.

Leia inwardly groaned.

"Right, the Council report…" Her Master didn't seem to be looking forward to it either. "Come on, Leia."

Leia grimaced, glancing around her as if for a way out. "Maybe I'll sit this one out, but you go Master."

"Oh no, Princess, if I'm getting in trouble for this, you're gonna share some of the blame too."

Leia huffed but moved to follow them.

"I don't get it, you seem to get along just fine. He even has a nickname for you." Ahsoka whispered, falling into step with Leia.

Leia barely refrained from groaning out loud.

"That's what you decide to concentrate on? His nickname for me?"

Ahsoka shrugged, "Yet, you allow him to call you that. If I remember it right when I first called you Spacegirl you almost bit my head off."

"No, I didn't."

"You almost certainly did."

"Well, you're still walking with one, are you not? Besides, he's my Master."

"Like that would stop you." Okay, maybe Ahsoka had a point. It certainly hadn't stopped her from accusing him of being a murderer.

"What are the two of you whispering about?" Anakin asked suspiciously, glancing back at them.

"Nothing." They both said simultaneously.

Ahsoka shot her a smug look, which Leia ignored.

Still, she wondered. Why did she allow him to call her that?

It was a title she despised as a child, never managing to completely free herself from it. Ans later it became a mockery of everything she was and wasn't.

But maybe that was it.

Unlike most, he never said it with fake respect, neither did he say it with derision.

Instead, it sounded like an endearment of sorts.

Leia almost stopped herself at that thought, then snorted.

It didn't matter. Once again, Leia was beginning to get too comfortable. And she knew how that always ended.

Leia glanced at her fellow Padawan. She had Ahsoka; that had to be enough. Anything else would only lead to more suffering and Leia had enough of that already. One more loss and she was pretty sure she would break. And this time, no one would be able to put her back together again.

oOo

****Edited.****

**Please Review!**


	8. Chapter 8

She had dreamed of her mother last night. Her real mother. The one who gave birth to her, but was never actually there.

Leia couldn't help but wonder what it might mean. Why now? Here? After all this time? She thought she had let it go. Excepted the fact that she would never know who she was. Her true origins. Where she came from.

It did not defy her. She had decided that a long time ago. Her adoptive parents have given her everything. Their love, protection, purpose. And eventually, their lives.

She might have been curious once upon a time. As a child, she used to sometimes wonder about the kind, but sad woman from her dreams. Who was she? What happened to her? Did Leia look like her? Why did she leave her? Was it because of how sad she was?

Did she want to die?

Eventually, those questions and their lack of answers had turned to anger. It might have been unfair, but Leia felt her resentment grow against the woman as her life became more and more difficult. People kept leaving her and she was helpless to stop it. Was it Leia? Was something wrong with her, that everyone around her kept dying?

What about her real father? Did he die too? Or was it his choice to leave her?

Perhaps he was alive somewhere and the reason why he left was that Leia was the one at fault for her mother's death. For all of their deaths.

No. NO.

Leia shook her head, forcefully diminishing that destructive, yet familiar rain of thought.

It was not true. Luke told her it was not true.

But Luke wasn't here anymore either, was he?

Before Leia could dig deeper into that disastrous thought, she felt someone nudge her shoulder.

She turned to look at Ahsoka who was standing beside her.

'Pay attention,' she mouthed.

Leia sighed, but complied, turning ahead to look at the hologram of General Grievous' ship, presented by R2.

"This strike force has been commissioned by the senate to hunt down the enemy's new battleships. As the bulk of our fleets are engaged on the front lines, we'll be on our own. General Skywalker has prepared our attack strategy." Spoke the Admiral Yularen to the gathered crowd of storm-troopers. Sorry, clone troopers.

Leia's Master stood beside him and at the mention of his name, stepped forward.

"Thank you, Admiral. While our capital ships are vulnerable to the enemy's attack, I believe a squad of bombers can outmaneuver their ion weapon." He explained while stopping in front of the hologram and motioning towards the battleship's bridge, "Our target would be the bridge and General Grievous."

Astonished murmurs sounded amongst the seated crowd of clone troopers, but none of them rose to object.

Anakin continued.

"Our bombers will attack at high speed to evade the enemy's ion weapon. We'll concentrate our firepower on the bridge super-structure here," He said, pointing out the circulated points on the command bridge. "We destroy General Grievous, and the ship will fall with him. Any questions?"

One of the clones shot up from his seat, "Just tell where that metalhead is, sir."

"Yeah," said the other one, also standing from his seat, "We've been waiting for a chance to take him out."

The sounds of "Yeah, let's do it!" rang between the crowd, and Leia felt her uneasiness grow. It all sounded so simple, yet in Leia's short years she'd learned that nothing ever was. It made her feel old, older than she was. After all, her Master was way older than her and just as experienced. He knew what he was doing, right?

"All right, men. Settle down." The two clones still standing sat back down."This is an important mission. We destroy Grievous, we can bring the war to a quicker end." Leia momentarily froze at those heavy words, letting out a shuddering breath. If she had doubts about the possibility of this mission succeeding, she had her answer now. Nothing could bring the war to a quicker end than her Master's own failure.

"Pilots, prepare your bombers," Anakin instructed and every single trooper stood up, dismissed.

"Do you think it's going to work?" Ahsoka asked her in a hushed voice. Leia knew what Ahsoka was asking. Was there a possibility they could succeed, that they could win? Could this really be the step further they needed to end the war?

"No," Leia said whispered, her voice sounding bitter even to her own ears.

Ahsoka looked away, clearly disappointed and Leia looked up at Plo-Koon who had stood beside Ahsoka this whole time, having felt his eyes on her. Judging by the way he was looking at her and Leia knew then that he had been listening in on their exchange.

"Skywalker," Plo-Koon called, looking away from Leia and catching Anakin's attention. "This is an aggressive plan. Are you sure your squadron can complete this mission?"

"Let's ask them," Anakin answered confidently, then turned away, "Matchstick," he called.

One of the clones who had been chatting in a small group turned.

"You think our boys can pull it off?" Anakin asked him.

Matchstick didn't hesitate, "Yes, sir. There hasn't been a mission Shadow squadron couldn't complete."

"That's right," confirmed another clone, Tag, who stood next to Matchstick. "Minimal casualties, maximum effectiveness - that's us." He finished nodding, and Matchstick with another clone next to him nodded as well.

"I admire your confidence, pilot." Plo-Koon said, then turned around to look back at Anakin "Even so, minimal casualties may be enough to prevent you from breaking Grievous' defenses."

Leia felt Ahsoka nudge her, then look at her, then at Anakin expectantly. Leia sighed, if Ahsoka expected Anakin to listen to Leia just because she was his Padawan, she was up for a rude awakening.

"I'm sorry Master, but I think Master Plo-Koon might be right. The ship's bridge is due to be heavily protected if General Grievous is going to be on it." Leia tried to reason.

"Don't worry Leia, we'll destroy that bridge and Grievous along with it," Anakin said, then walked away successfully dismissing not only Leia but Plo-Koon as well.

So much for speaking up.

"Master Skywalker seems to inspire great confidence in his men," Plo-Koon observed.

Leia smiled sadly, "That's only because he has the double the amount to share."

"I wish he would have at least_ tried_ to listen," Ahsoka said.

Leia shook her head, "Some things are simply meant to happen, Ahsoka, there is no helping that. The best thing I can do is stick by his side and hope that things will reveal themselves eventually." She smiled, "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to catch up to my Master."

oOo

"Which one do I get?" asked Leia, glancing at the Y-Wing fighters lined up.

"Neither. You're with me. You'll be my gunner." Anakin told her while she walked beside him.

Leia stopped and whirled around to look at him, "Me?"

"Somebody's gotta watch my back."

Leia scowled up at him. "Broadside can do it. And you have R2." She objected, glancing down at R2, who as a result, whirled away as if refusing to be dragged into it.

"But I _so_ enjoy your company, my padawan." Anakin teased.

Leia's scowl deepened. "Or maybe you just don't trust in my abilities as a flier." Luke might have always bested her as a pilot, but that boy could not be scaled by any normal standards and Leia knew how to hold her own.

"No, it's not that. It's just, I..-" Anakin tried to explain, before being interrupted by the Admiral who was walking up to them along with Master Plo-Koon and Ahsoka.

"Skywalker, the enemy warship has attacked our convoy of medical transports near Ryndellia." Admiral Yularen explained, stopping before them.

"Medical? What would anyone gain from attack injured clones?" Leia asked no one in particular in her confusion.

"Only General Grevious would go after clones who can't fight back," Ahsoka said, clearly riled by the news.

"The Ryndellia system..." Mused Anakin, thoughtfully. "Near Naboo. Isn't it where our Medical base is? I'll bet that will be his next target."

A Medical base as a target. With nothing to gain, just to destroy, the Separatists always seemed to be gaining the upper hand.

"There are many star clusters in that area. With a ship that big, he will be unable to chart a course that's less than ten parsecs." Plo-Koon pointed out.

"Looks like we're gonna have to take a shortcut." Anakin said, deep in thought, "Admiral, warn that station what's coming."

The Admiral simply gave a nod, turned away, and left.

"The journey might be treacherous. If you lose any ships before you reach the target..." Plo-Koon warned, trailing off.

"We won't lose anybody." Anakin objected rigidly, then turned away, climbing the ladder up to the Y-Wing fighter.

Leia watched him with unease.

"I will come along and fly fighter escort." Plo-Koon suddenly announced.

"Any help is welcome, Master Plo. Just try not to fall behind." Rang Anakin's voice from behind them as he got inside the fighter.

Leia smiled a little, "That's good to hear."

"I'll be coming too," Ahsoka said.

"Are you sure?" Leia asked glancing at her friend then at her Master.

"Glad you discussed this with me first, little 'Soka." Plo-Koon reprimanded.

Ahsoka, shrugged sheepishly, "I knew you were coming all along that's why instead of preparing your ship, I prepared us another V-fighter. Unless you would have me piloting one on my own."

Oh, Leia had to admit, Ahsoka was good. The girls shared a hidden smile.

Pulling her most sober face, Leia nodded, "That seems fair. Unfortunately, my Master is not satisfied with my piloting skills, so he won't have me as anything but his gunner. Perhaps, I could team-up with Ahsoka like at the practices at the Temple, I'm sure, that way we could prove ourselves without being in your way."

"Woah, Woah, Woah, princess, hold up, "Anakin interrupted and Leia turned back to look up at him. " No one is teaming up and you're staying with me. I'm your Master which means you stay by my side unless I say otherwise."

Leia frowned up at Anakin, pulling her most confused expression, "But if Ahsoka gets to pilot her own fighter, why can't I?"

"No one is piloting anything on their own, Ahsoka is with me," Plo-Koon said.

Leia's shoulder's slumped as she feigned disappointment, "Oh. I guess I'll just have to stay with my Master and try to learn from him as much as I can then."

Ahsoka nodded along with her, "As will I."

With that, the girls shared one last meaningful look, as Leia turned away and boarded the fighter after Anakin.

"Don't think that either I or Master Plo-Koon hadn't realized what the two of you were trying to pull there," Anakin said, as he turned on the engine.

Leia shrugged, "I don't know what you mean. After all, Padawans are supposed to stay with their Masters always, isn't that right?"

"Right," Anakin admitted begrudgingly while staring back at her suspiciously.

oOo

Leia kept biting her lip nervously as they launched. Hers and Anakin's fighter was first, closely followed by the others.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Anakin." Sounded Obi-Wan's voice trough the transmission. Leia glanced sideway trough her bubble of a viewpoint to look at the Jedi cruiser much farther away. It would arrive with Obi-Wan in command much later, but hopefully not too late since it couldn't keep up with their speed.

"Well, if I don't, I won't be around to hear the 'I told you so'.'" Anakin responded tauntingly.

"That's reassuring." Came back Obi-Wan's sarcastic response, "Well, take your short-cut, and I'll take the long-way. But you better be there before I arrive."

They spend up just before the cruiser, passing it in mare seconds.

"I'll be there Obi-Wan."

It was still so odd to Leia, hearing Obi-Wan, his voice, just like Ben's, yet Ben would never joke like that, not even with Luke. He was too...old, too experienced, too...tired, perhaps too weighed-down by whatever had happened. And happened a lot, Leia knew. The extermination of the Jedi. The Empire. And... And whatever had and haven't happened to Anakin.

"Shadow squadron, tighten formation. Call in." Anakin instructed over the comm-link.

"Shadow 2 standing by."

"Shadow 3 standing by."

"Shadow 4 standing by."

R2 whirled anxiously and Leia rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I know it's gonna be a tough one R2." Leia said, but in a lower voice muttered, "Yet somehow you managed to outlive them all, anyway."

"Cut the chatter, Leia." Anakin chastised from the pilot's bulk.

"Shadow 11 standing by."

"Shadow 12 standing by."

"Shadow 13 is ready." Master Plo-Koon voice rang trough the comm.

Suddenly, Leia had a feeling. A feeling of wrongness. This is not how it's supposed to be, the feeling said. Leia did her best to ignore it.

"This is Admiral Yularen. You are cleared for hyperspace jump. Good hunting, sir."

"Thanks, Admiral," Anakin, said. "All right, boys, let's go."

"Broadside, if we make trough this one, drinks are on me." Rang Matchstick's voice trough the SHARED comm-link, might Leia remind. She rolled her eyes. So immature.

"I can already taste it." Answered Broadside, just as they jumped to hyperspace, one-by-one.

oOo

After they came down from hyperspace and headed for the so-called 'short-cut' Leia knew nothing about, Anakin finally spoke.

"Okay, if we can navigate through my shortcut, we'll be alright."

"A nebula can be very unpredictable. I advise caution." Master Plo-Koon advised.

"Don't worry about us, Master Jedi. We can hold our own. Right, Shadow squadron?" Matchstick said.

"Copy that, Shadow 2."

"Does anyone care what the Padawans think?" Ahsoka asked.

"That's what I would like to know as well." Leia seconded.

"Of course we care, Princess, Ahsoka. But we're still going trough that nebula." Anakin drawled out.

R2 chirped something, but Leia ignored it.

"You see Ahsoka, that's why I don't bother."

"I see what you mean." Came Ahsoka's dry response.

They entered the thick orange looking-mist, that Leia didn't like, like at all.

"This soup is thick. Can you see anything?"

"Just keep your eyes on my thruster, Shadow 2." Answered Anakin.

Leia banged on the scanner, that kept blinking out, as it tried to scan their surroundings and kept failing. "They'll be forced to because these scanners are completely useless." she said.

"This is old-fashioned flying. You have to feel your way through to stay on course." Anakin said, but Leia barely heard, his words unexpectedly triggering another place with another person.

_"Luke, we're gonna crash!"_

_"Don't worry Leia, think of it as Jedi flying, instead of trusting the screen to show you the way, you feel your way trough. That's what I call real piloting."_

Leia blinked, pushing the brief memory away.

"Skywalker is right Leia. Clear your mind, young one, and you'll feel the path."

Leia shook her head, "No, I-, I can't."

Luke could do it. Luke could do anything, not her.

"Leia, try." Anakin pushed softly, "Clear your mind and feel around you."

Leia complied, closing her eyes and opening her senses. Besides the thirteen starfighters and it's crew she felt nothing.

"I-, I don't see anything."

"I always know where I'm going." Broadside boasted.

"Yeah, where's that Broadside?" Asked Matchstick.

"I'm going to blow up that battleship."

"A clear path if ever there was one." Master Plo-Koon said, sounding amused.

They flew in silence for a couple of minutes, until Ahsoka was the one break the silence again.

"So, Master Skywalker, how did you know about this shortcut?"

"It's an old smuggler's route."

Leia frowned, her hands on the gunners, just in case someone unexpected showed up and she'd have to blast it. She looked sideways from her bubble at Anakin.

"How come you knew about it then?" Leia asked, the word smuggler having picked her interest.

"The pilot's used to talk about it on Tatooine."

Leia frowned, "Most of the routes I knew from Tatooine are dangerous, so that definitely doesn't make me feel any better."

Well, Luke had known them from Tatooine. And Han. That's how Leia came to the conclusion that anything with the world 'smuggler' and 'Tatooine' were bad news.

"They called it the Balmorra run," Anakin added.

"Balmorra run?" Repeated Master Plo-Koon, and by the way, he said it, Leia knew meant bad news.

The beeping from her scanners confirmed it. "I think I'm picking up an upcoming contact," Leia said nervously.

"Skywalker, listen to me. We need to turn around." Master Plo-Koon reasoned.

"We can't, not if we gonna catch Grievous." Objected Anakin.

"Just so you know, there's another contact, this one larger." Leia wasn't sure why she was even bothering, no one seemed to be listening to her.

"Skywalker, Balmorra's the nesting ground of the giant nebray mantis." Master Plo-Koon revealed urgently.

Oh, Leia did not like the sound of that.

"There's another one. And one more. Master!" Gasped Leia just as she saw a large-mouthed beast with wings, heading towards them.

"Take evasive action!" Anakin shouted urgently, just as he pushed on the controls and they glided past the side of the large beast.

They had really long tails, noted Leia, mildly interested amid her panic, as she tried to distract herself from said panic.

There were a whole flock of those beasts, too many to count.

"Those gas-gulpers are huge." Ahsoka pointed out from somewhere, in an astonished, but mostly terrified voice.

There was an awful sound between a roar and a wail coming from one of the beast's.

"Don't shoot, or they'll panic." Master Plo-Koon warned.

"Right, understood," Leia said, her eyes jumping from one beast to the other, not sure which one she should consider as the bigger threat.

"They'll panic? I'm about to panic!" Ahsoka screeched.

"There are so many of them." Matchstick said, and after a few long minutes,- "I'm hit, my stabilizer's out."

"Pull it together, Matchstick," Anakin said, his voice cool.

Leia bit her lip, feeling worried.

"I'm okay, I got it." Came Matchstick's reply after a few moments and Leia gave a sigh in relief.

"These things are gonna make a meal out of us." Ahsoka panicked.

"All wings, line up behind me," Anakin instructed.

"Roger that, boss."

"Hurry! They will not fallow us beyond the nebula." Master Plo-Koon urged.

"I have to agree with Ahsoka. That one definitely looks hungry. " Leia said, looking at one beast in particular as it opened it's large mouth as if ready to swallow them all in one go.

"Nah, it's just smiling at you." Anakin joked.

They glided and swirled, evading the beasts and their enormous wings, closely followed by the rest of the V-fighters that masterfully fallowed every Anakin's maneuver with their own.

"We're almost there," Leia said relieved, as the mist - full of the nesting nebray mantis's offsprings started to get clearer.

Finally, they were in the clear; free of the beasts and the nebula's thick mist.

"Next time when you say 'Tatooine' and 'short-cut' in the same sentence, you can be sure to count me out," Leia said, completely serious now that she felt the last of her panic leave her.

Anakin laughed, "Yes, but we're not far from Grievous now."

oOo

"Shadow 2. What is the damage to your ship?" Plo-Koon asked.

Leia glanced back. She could see why he wanted to make sure. The Shadow 2's left-wing looked pretty bad, with the clear smoke coming out of it, caused by the small blazing engine flame Leia could see from her own fighter piloted by Anakin.

"Just a scratch, sir."

From where Leia was looking, it was far from ' just a scratch'.

"We must not take any more unnecessary risks. If we lose even a single ship, our mission is that much closer to failure." Master Plo-Koon warned, which sounded more like a lecture if Leia ever heard one.

"Understood, Master Plo. But we didn't lose any ships, and I didn't..." Anakin tried to explain, but was interrupted.

"Sir, another contact." Broadside informed.

"I thought those things wouldn't fallow us," Ahsoka said.

"Not fallowing," He corrected. "Coming out of hyperspace. It's a ship."

Leia's breath froze. Oh boy, here it comes.

"It's the Malevolence."

Leia stared straight ahead at the Medical station, which was now shadowed by the huge ship, that came out of hyperspace and was headed straight towards it.

Several medical transports appeared, dispatched form the Medical station, probably to evacuate the wounded, at which Leia couldn't help but inwardly cringe. The Malevolence sent a bunch of relentless blasts their way, set on not letting them escape. Not only that, but there was also beeping on her scanner, showing a dozen vastly approaching threats.

"Fighters coming up." She informed though it was unnecessary, for they could be easily spotted through the viewpoint with a blind eye.

Leia clutched the controls of the laser gun tighter. Show-time.

A rain of laser fire came their way, and Leia swirled around with her seat, targeting the enemy fighters with her own set of blasts.

"Steady, come on. Hold it steady." Came a voice through the comm-link, but Leia was too wrapped up in her own battle to pay attention to anything else.

The V-fighter kept jumping and leaning sideways, and Leia was thankful she was experienced with this type of piloting Anakin seemed to prefer and did her best with foreseeing the pattern in which Anakin would once again lurch the starship side-ways again. Still, her Master was making it difficult and she was already starting to feel nauseous and frustrated while the rest of the enemy fighters that were after them kept evading her shots.

"Get those fighters off of us." Anakin urged unhelpfully.

"What do you think I've been doing?! Not that your inadequate flying is making it easier, the opposite, it's making it almost near-impossible!" Leia screeched, targeting the enemy closest to them and finally succeeding at taking in down by the second-go. Amateurs.

Getting rid of the last fighter Leia glanced at the screen.

"Incoming!" She warned.

"Make towards the edge of the ray, now!" Anakin commanded.

They flew up, lifting the ship up into an almost perfectly vertical position, nose up.

"Give it everything you've got!" Urged Anakin, his voice muffled by the pressure of the speed and whirling of the engines.

Leia forced herself to glance at the screen then looked backward.

"Matchstick, your speed is dropping. Is everything okay?" Leia asked, not bothering with the code name, for she was too worried. She was sure the damage from earlier was causing problems.

"Nothing, sir. Just trying to keep it together." He tried to reassure, but Leia easily heard the panic in his voice.

There was a muffled sound of beeping coming trough the commlink, at which she closed her eyes because she didn't want to see her own warning about Shadow 2 blinking on her screen.

"You can make it Matchstick. Hang on." Anakin said, just as there was a sound of explosion closely followed by the sound of a scream.

Leia choked, her breath coming out in a short pant as she forced her eyes open, but refused to glance back, keeping her eyes firmly on the screen.

"Look out!" Sounded just as there was a sound of crashing and another sound of an explosion.

_Don't look back._

They came back into the ship's horizontal position, just evading the ion canon by mare inches.

But not everyone was as successful.

_Don't feel, hide it._

"Shadow squadron, check-in." Sounded Anakin's hard, but collected voice.

Leia once again glanced at the screen, feeling strangely detached.

"Squadron 2 lost. As well as squadron 6, 7 and 10, which were caught in the ray." She said in a monotone, her voice lacking any emotion.

At least Ahsoka was okay, that was a small relief.

But the battle wasn't over yet.

The laser blasts from the Malevolence were now coming their way.

The remaining V-fighters headed towards them, maneuvering trough the incoming laser-blasts.

"Stay on course." Master Plo-Koon ordered.

"This flak is heavy." Said some clone maybe Broadside, but Leia didn't care anymore, couldn't let herself, because they were clones and they were dispensable.

"All deflectors double front," Anakin instructed.

Leia breathed in deeply, then breathed out.

But were any of them truly dispensable?

"Master," She tried. "I don't think this is working."

"We can make it, Leia. Hang in there."

Leia shook her head, feeling helpless. He was not listening, grown-ups never did.

"Watch those towers, boys." Anakin drawled.

There were right next to Malevolence's hull going for its bridge.

"We're too close, loosen up." Someone said, just as there was a bang and then an explosion.

He was right, they were too close, and that cost him his life, Leia thought bitterly. The starfighter went down with a loud bang crashing down on the Malevolence's hull.

The screeching sound irked her ears and Leia did her best not to cover them with her hands like she used to do as a little girl.

Leia just hoped Master Plo-Koon was smart enough to pull back if the situation seemed too dire. She couldn't watch Ahsoka die, knowing it was her fault again.

Leia forcefully shook her head.

No.

She was not that little girl anymore. She was not here to once again stand-by and watch people dye around her, unable to do anything.

"Perhaps you can make it, Master, but everyone else is going to die! Is Grievous really worth it?"

Silence. Only another warning kept flashing on her screen about another possible ion blast.

"If we can do enough damage, the weapon may overload when Grievous tries to fire." Master Plo-Koon proposed.

There were another few moments of silence in which Leia held her breath.

"Shadow squadron, new target. We're taking out the starboard ion cannon." Anakin relented.

Leia sighed in relief.

They changed the course. Circling the command bridge they headed for the ion pulse cannon, located on the warship's side.

Once they were close enough:

"Torpedoes away." Commanded Anakin.

All of the ships set off the Proton Torpedoes, targeting the charging ion cannon. There was a set of explosions as the bombs reached their target. Not waiting around, they put distance between themselves and the Malevolence.

Leia stared back at the Plasma emitter, hoping for the best.

"Come on." She murmured. Either it would work, or they were all doomed since they didn't have enough time needed to put the distance between them and the ion blast that would cause a massive short-circuit, leaving them dead in space like all of those ships before.

There was a loud screech. Leia watched as the cannons finished charging-up and were fired.

Causing a massive overload as the cannons failed and were swallowed by massive red flames instead. The whole warship was instantly bombarded by small explosions all over it, as numerous systems were damaged.

Leia smiled, watching the mass destruction done to such powerful warship.

"Good work, Shadow squadron." Master Plo-Koon congratulated as they headed for the Medical station.

"Nice job, Leia." Anakin complimented. Leia's smile fell.

Scowling, Leia glanced at the viewpoint and watched as three Republic warships entered the system.

"Anakin, do you copy?" Came Obi-Wan's voice trough the comm-link.

"I'm here," Anakin responded.

"Congratulations. It looks like your mission was a success."

"Partially, but Grievous is still alive. The battle was pretty rough on my men. We're heading for the Medical station now."

"We'll take it from here, but don't worry, We'll call when we need you," Obi-Wan promised.

"I'll be waiting, Obi-Wan," Anakin said, just as they flew past the Republic warship.

Deep in thought, Leia barely noticed when they landed, or when it was time to get out of the safety of the V-Fighter.

"Princess?"

Leia flinched at Anakin's voice, for some reason feeling startled.

She got out of the fighter, only to see Master Plo-Koon and Ahsoka already waiting for them.

"Great job, Master Skywalker. Your leadership skills are most impressive." Master Plo-Koon congratulated.

"You didn't do so bad yourself," Anakin said.

"Uh, excuse me," Ahsoka said suddenly, walking up to Leia and stopping by her side. "I believe it was Leia's suggestion to change the plan."

"That's kind of true, Ahsoka." Anakin teased.

"From a certain pint of view." Master Plo-Koon added, both of them walking away.

"But..." Ahsoka tried.

"Just leave it Ahsoka!" Leia snapped. Ahsoka's eyes widened and both Masters turned back to look at them.

Leia shook her head, "Sorry, I think I just need some time alone." She apologized, then turned on her heel and left, not waiting for their response.

Stupid. She berated herself. She was stupid for letting her emotions get a hold of her like that.

"Leia, wait!" She heard Ahoska call from behind her as she caught up.

"I'm sorry for snapping at you, but now is not a good time Ahsoka," Leia said stopping by a large viewpoint, that looked through the galaxy.

"I just want to make sure you're okay," Ahsoka said.

"There's no need, I'm fine."

"Leia, you're not fine. Talk to me, please." Ahsoka pleaded.

Leia shook her head, refusing to look at her friend and instead stared at the deep space behind the glass.

So many stars. Luke would have loved it here.

"Do you ever feel like they're looking down on us?" Leia asked.

"Who?" Ahsoka asked confused.

"The Jedi," Leia responded. "The Council. Our Masters."

"Of course not. They're just looking out for us."

Leia turned her head to look at her.

"Are they really? Think about it, 'Soka. They never care about what we think. And whenever we say something, they brush it aside."

"It's only because they're more experienced than us."

"Are they really? Because Master Skywalker didn't seem experienced to me when he was willing to sacrifice all of our lives just moments ago. To me, it seemed more like recklessness."

"I agree he might have seemed that way but..."

"But nothing Ahsoka! Tell me, why didn't you say anything? I know you weren't stupid and saw what was happening, yet you were quiet."

"It was not my place. Besides, he didn't listen to you as his Padawan, so why would he listen to me?"

"Exactly, 'Soka. He wouldn't, didn't. Because for them, we're nothing but children."

Leia shook her head, looking back through the viewpoint.

After a few moments, she sat down, not caring that the floor was hard or that it would look odd for whoever might happen to pass by. Ahsoka followed suit.

A couple of long minutes passed before Ahsoka spoke again.

"Maybe you should talk to your Master about it. Tell him how you feel."

Leia chuckled, "Why? I would only hear the same thing. That he's my Master and I'm his Padawan. There's nothing to do, Ahsoka, besides growing up, but that's going to take more than a couple of years and I'm not even sure I have that long."

"You don't mean that." Came Ahsoka's soft reply.

"How can I know 'Soka? There isn't exactly a manual for time-travel."

Ahsoka touched her hand comfortingly, "Don't worry, we'll figure it out."

Leia smiled sadly. "You said we."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes, "Okay,_ you_'ll figure it out."

Leia shook her head but then nodded.

What she meant was that the future Ahsoka would never say 'we', or much less 'you'. No, the difference was that her Guardian did her best in shielding Leia from everything, then left her in an even more dire situation by dying. That might have not been her intention, but that didn't matter. Leia was left alone with no idea of why people were after her or any information on who could help her or any way to take care of herself. Helpless.

It was nice when the person beside you didn't act like she or he had all the answers in the world and Leia was the only one left clueless.

Leia still wasn't sure what had been so special about her.

"You know, farmboy was even more reckless than Anakin," Leia said, using the nickname for Luke since she never told Ahsoka his real name. She was set on brightening the mood and it sometimes helped to talk about her deceased best-friend.

Ahsoka's eyebrows shot up in surprise. Leia just wasn't sure if it was because she actually this time brought up Luke herself or that Ahsoka was actually surprised by what Leia said.

"Yes, as in, ten times worse. So much so, that most of the time I wondered if he actually had a death wish, which he kept promising he didn't."

Ahsoka laughed, "How did you put up with him then?"

Leia smiled. "I didn't. After a while, I just learned to pull him back when needed and he learned to listen."

"Then maybe you could learn to do the same with Master Skywalker." Ahsoka proposed.

Leia frowned, "No, I couldn't."

"Why not?"

"Because unlike Anakin, farmboy saw me as his equal, he trusted me and I trusted him. That could never be possible between a Padawan and a Master simply because Padawans are meant to look up to their Masters. And I always looked up to Luke just as much as he looked up to me. We accepted each other's differences, instead of letting them divide us."

"That sounds intense," Ahsoka admitted. "But amazing."

Leia nodded, "Yes it was."

He had been her twin sun, she decided. The comparison settling something inside her.

Some time passed as both girls sat in silence gazing at the stars, until Master Plo-Koon came, calling Ahsoka from afar as if sensing that Leia still needed some time alone. Ahsoka left, but not before making sure that Leia was really okay to be left alone and then promising to see her later.

About ten more minutes passed before R2D2 came whirling towards her.

Leia cocked her head at the droid, "You know, sometime you'll have to finally tell me how you ended up in the hands of Anakin, R2."

R2 chirped and beeped, swirling his dome excitedly.

"In a language I understand." She added drily.

"He just told you that it's a long and boring story." Her Master said from behind her.

Leia threw her head back to look up at him. "Oh, hello, Master."

Anakin raised an eyebrow, "Comfy?"

"Very."

"Won't mind if I join you then," Anakin said, settling down beside her.

Leia bit her lip, thinking of the fastest way to make her escape.

"Tell me, how come you know Huttese, but don't understand simple binary?"

Leia shrugged, "Lack of reasonable priorities?"

Anakin raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"It's a long story," Leia said.

"We have time. Time until Master Kenobi calls us for support if he ever does, that is. Nonetheless, we have our ships ready in case of trouble."

Leia sighed. She could see that Anakin wasn't going to let this go, too set on making her 'open up'. No matter, she could share some unimportant details, while guarding others. "In short, I used to have protocol droid, along with an astromech droid like R2, well they were my father's, but you could say they took the time to babysit me for whenever my father was not around. And I guess, I took it out on them, and since the protocol droid was annoying enough on its own, I stubbornly refused to understand the other one." Leia rolled her eyes, "And I don't get why you're making me tell that since it's completely irrelevant."

"I couldn't help but notice you don't like to share."

"So? You don't like to either, yet I respect that, so you could at least do the same."

There was a slight pause. "On Tattoine, you asked me about my mother."

Leia's eyes widened, as she turned to look at Anakin, dumbfounded.

"I did." She confirmed, still watching him carefully, not getting where he was going with this. Why he was telling her at all.

"She was captured by Tuskin raiders. They tortured her until she couldn't hold on any longer."

There was something dark and twisted in the tone of his voice that made her shiver. Unable to look at the stone-cold expression on her Master's face, Leia looked away, feeling...something. She was horrified of course, of all scenarios she and Luke had come up with none of them had been so...vicious. But at the same time, she felt something was off. And not only with the scenario itself: Tuskin raiders didn't usually go around capturing people, less alone torturing them for fun. No, there was something off with her Master as well, something deeply disturbing, yet she couldn't place it.

No, perhaps she was imagining things.

She could only guess what it was like being in Anakin's place. The horrific knowledge itself would have destroyed her and she couldn't help but wonder how he'd come by it. Did he watch her die?

_I'm so sorry, Luke._

"Thank you for telling me that. And I'm sorry, I'm sure she was an amazing person." She said remembering all that she knew about the woman from the short holo-videos she and Luke had watched.

"She was," Anakin said stiffly, that edge still very much present in his voice.

They fell into an uncomfortable silence. Leia waited, unsure of what to say. She wished she could just stand up and leave, yet felt like Anakin's invisible grip was holding her in place.

"That's why I need to know how you found the journal."

Leia was trapped, having only now realized that this had been his end goal from the moment he sat down; with her nowhere to hide.

Stupid. She was so very stupid.

Leia cleared her throat, "What does it matter? I gave it to you hoping you would have a chance at closure, however now I see it was a mistake."

Leia made a move to stand up, wanting, no, needing to get away.

Anakin grabbed her wrist, preventing her from making another move.

"Closure? In the end, her death was my fault, Leia, nothing can change that. You only need to tell me how you knew."

Leia forcefully pulled her arm free, feeling threatened. Which in turn fuelled her anger.

"How dare you?! You don't get to try and pile your issues on me, thinking I have some miracle answer. Guess what, I don't. The only reason I know that stupid journal existed in the first place was because I kept having flashes of it whenever I was around you on Tatooine," She lied, the words spilling out of her like a ship on hyper-drive ."That's it. A kriffing Force vision! The only difference is that mine seem to include lost things or people, instead of future events." Anakin let go of her hand and Leia stumbled back, needing to put some distance. She looked down at the wrist he'd been holding as if burned.

"So yes, that's your big answer, Master." Leia finished, lifting her chin and looking him straight in the eye. She did not care that her eyes were teary, too focused on the feeling of betrayal. She couldn't help but feel as if the progress they've made this far was now tarnished by this moment.

Judging by the apologetic look in Anakin's face, he knew it.

"Leia, I'm-..., I'm sorry." She knew apologies didn't come easy to her Master, but that did little to appease the hurt she felt.

"You know," said Leia. "When I was a little girl I would get these dreams about a woman. She was very beautiful, kind, but sad. That's how I would describe her to my mother. My adoptive mother. Ever since birth I always knew my mother was not my real mother. My parents didn't need to tell me, I just knew. You can't imagine how it hurt my mother, the one who raised me, hear me sob every night about a woman that possibly held me only once before she died. With age, I learned to talk and think less about her until she finally went away completely. Unfortunately, the relationship with my adoptive mother had grown too stiff by that time. She loved me, I knew. But now I think she always felt as if I was comparing the two of them. "Leia smiled sadly. "I used to be angry. Angry at the Force for making me remember someone I couldn't on my own and would never get to know. Until I realized that not everyone had that."

She tilted her head, marveling at the look of astonishment mixed with confusion on Anakin's face. It made him look younger. Too much like Luke.

"You should be glad. About your mother, I mean. I know it's not easy, feeling guilty for her death. But at least you have something of hers, at least you know she was happy. That she loved you. You don't need to wonder, because you know. Unlike me who is left with nothing but guessing."

"I'm sorry."

Leia looked down, unnoticed by her, a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I am too." She whispered. Because only now had she realized, that the woman had never really fully gone away and Leia had never really stopped craving answers. Coming here, seeing all the people from her past-future, only reminded that all the answers were here, yet still out of her reach. Just like her parents were here, but didn't know her, her biological mother was also alive.

"Come here."

Lei looked up at Anakin, frowning in confusion, "What?"

"Come."

Leia complied, walking closer to Anakin and stopping inches before him.

She raised an eyebrow, "Yes?"

Instead of answering he did something she hadn't expected in the least. He hugged her.

Leia stiffened for a moment, feeling awkward, yet at the same time, feeling safe in his embrace, which was odd. She couldn't remember the last time someone hugged her. Probably no one, not since she came here.

"Has anyone told you that you're too wise for your age?"

Leia smiled, having to think it over for a moment. The result was disappointing, "Not really, no."

Finally, Anakin let go of her, awkwardly stepping away. By the looks of it, he wasn't much of a huger either. Which made her wonder what pushed him to do it in the first place.

"Good. Don't try to grow up too fast, Princess."

"Wouldn't dream of it, Master."

oOo

***Edited***

**Review.**


	9. Chapter 9

Leia was a liar. She knew that about herself and didn't even bother to hide it when somebody called her out on it. Though anyone rarely did, the lies often being too-well constructed for a slip-up. The only one to ever do that was Luke. He was also the only one who ever made her feel guilty for it too. Until now.

It was simple to say that the lies she often spoke never bothered her. She wasn't proud of them, but she never regretted them either. Why would she? Grown-ups did it all the time and when it came to her survival and the survival of others such a simple thing as a guilty conscious couldn't stop her.

But for some reason, now, next to Anakin, she felt as if she's done something wrong.

She felt guilty because when Anakin looked at her now, it was different.

Leia did her best to act as usual as they got inside the V-fighter to catch up to the Jedi cruiser commanded by Obi-Wan that was still very much on the Malevolence's tail, but it was hard. She had always tried her best to follow her parents' teachings, no matter the circumstances. She had always been stubborn and proud, refusing to be put down by anyone. She wondered what they would say if they saw her now. Playing a Jedi's Padawan in the middle of a war, that had caused all of their sufferings.

Would they be mad that instead of working on finding and exterminating the Sith Lord, that would eventually become the Emperor, she was playing by the Jedi's rules? Would they try to understand why she spent all her time following her deceased best friend's father, in hopes of proving that it all had been a lie? That her best friend had not died by the hands of his own father, and that the person currently piloting the fighter she was on, was not a murderer?

That it was all a ploy to confuse Luke into joining the dark alongside Vader.

Leia knew that from the time she had been captured when she was seven, she never fully recovered; trapping her inside a never-ending cycle of destruction of her own creation. She would often hear things or see things that would provoke her in irrational and unpredictable ways. Like the time she called Anakin a murderer or when she met him for the first time with nothing, but hostility, set on proving that he was Vader.

Even giving him the journal was in one way an experiment on Leia's part because there was no way that the sweet boy Shmi Skywalker addressed and described could ever turn to be such a Monster that was Darth Vader. And Anakin had loved his mother dearly, it was obvious in the way he spoke about her and how much hurt and guilt her death had caused him to carry.

Leia also had to admit that something... Something was drawing her to Anakin and at times she felt like she knew and could trust him, but always thought that it was because of how much he reminded her of Luke. But now... Now she was sure he felt it too, otherwise, he wouldn't have been so quick to apologize and even comfort her.

Leia barely noticed when they made it to the Jedi cruiser and it was time to get off, too deep in her own musings.

One thing was clear. She no longer believed Anakin could be Darth Vader and was set on proving it.

"You've been quiet," Anakin observed, as they made their way to the twin bridges.

"I just have a lot to think about."

"And that is...?"

The Empire. Darth Vader. Her Parents. Luke. Him.

"Nothing much of importance."

The door slid opened with a smooth swish sound, letting them inside the starboard bridge, which served as the ship's helm.

In the center stood Master Plo-Koon with Ahsoka, who'd arrived prior to them and Obi-Wan backed up by Admiral Yularen.

"She lost the primary shields and stabilizers, but the ship is so massive it could take the whole fire our cannons can give it." Sounded one of the clone's voice, who was seated in front of the controls.

Leia understood what he meant, she could easily spot the ablaze Malevolance from the viewpoint, which was more than ten times the mass of the Jedi cruiser they were currently on. There were two more Jedi cruisers, supporting them on each side on the pursuit, as they continued to target the Malevolence with their relentless blasts, but that was apparently far from enough even in the warships already heavily damaged state.

"We must summon reinforcements." Master Plo-Koon advised.

"That's why I'm here Master Plo." Anakin said as they approached them.

"Anakin, were you able to contact Master Luminara?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes, Master. She's busy with a fleet of Separatits reinforcements nearby. She won't be able to give us support until she's turned them away." Anakin explained.

Obi-Wan nodded, "Then we'll have to make do with what we have."

Leia and Ahsoka shared a look.

"Well, that's not much of a plan," Leia said.

"Unfortunately, we don't have much of a choice." Obi-Wan said while staring down at her thoughtfully.

Leia grimaced, uncomfortable under Obi-Wan's scrutiny as always. So she did the only thing she could. She offered to help with the attack, then without waiting for an answer hurried to the controls, Ahsoka joining her.

That was one of the reasons why she refused to be trained by him and tried to avoid him at costs. While he wasn't the only person she knew in the future, he was still the one she knew and had relied on the most and so had Luke. It was easier with Ahsoka, since she was basically her age here and was very much different from the mature guardian who taught and protected Leia.

But Obi-Wan Kenobi was still very much Ben Kenobi and she found it hard to ignore. Sure, he was younger here, more laid-back, but he was still very much the respected Jedi Master that even Anakin looked up to. Just like Luke had.

"I can't help, but notice that you still very much avoid Master Kenobi," Ahsoka whispered, tinkering with the controls besides Leia.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Leia said, playing dumb, though she doubted Ahsoka believed her. Even at the Temple Ahsoka had picked up on it and called Leia out and every time Leia did her best to deny it.

"Uh-huh," there was amusement in Ahsoka's voice and Leia was glad she didn't seem annoyed. Although Leia told Ahsoka long ago that there would be some things Leia could never tell her, she still worried that eventually, Ahsoka would grow to resent her for it.

Leia never really had any friends growing up, her status in the Alderaan palace preventing that. And there were no other children at the Rebel Alliance, making Leia the only child amongst the haggard adults. So when Luke came along she had found herself out of her element. Thankfully, for reasons still unknown to her, they had connected pretty quickly. Though she never managed to befriend any other children on Tatooine and only tolerated Luke's friends for his sake.

Ahsoka was Leia's second friend. Leia couldn't pass up the chance to get to know her former guardian in this way. As a child, as a Padawan, unsure of her future just as Leia was. And after getting to know Ahsoka she had found that they were in many ways not so different. Yet, she often worried she would say or do something that would cause conflict between them and they would fall apart.

"Admiral, status report," Obi-Wan requested.

"They're not attempting to jump to hyperspace. Their hyperdrive must be damaged," the Admiral pointed out.

"This is our chance. All ships, target the bridge, maximum firepower." Obi-Wan ordered.

The clones in front of the controls did as instructed and fired at the enemy's command bridge.

"You know, this is actually kind of fun," Ahsoka told Leia in a hushed voice.

Leia giggled, "Oh? Ahsoka, I'm pretty sure you have a weird sense of what 'fun' is."

"Maybe, but we rarely get to hang out like it this, and giving the bad guys what they deserve is always enjoyable."

Leia shook her head, smiling, "I guess."

Looking back at the screen in front of one of the controls, she frowned.

"Are you seeing what I am seeing?"

"If you mean the weird signal that just came out from hyperspace, then yeah," Ahsoka confirmed.

"Master, we're picking up a signal near the enemy vessel that just came out of hyperspace," Leia called out.

"Enemy reinforcements?" Anakin asked.

Leia's frowned deepened as she glanced at Ahsoka and saw the same look of bewilderment she knew was present on her own face.

"No," Leia said. "I'm pretty certain it's a Naboo ship."

Ahsoka nodded in agreement.

"Gunners, stand down," Obi-Wan commanded. "What in blazes are they doing out here?"

Yeah, Leia was wondering the same thing.

"Leia, contact that ship." Anakin urged distraughtly, at which she felt like raising an eyebrow at but complied. She wondered why a Naboo ship could make her Master this unnerved.

"Naboo cruiser, identify yourself." Leia requested through the comm-link.

"This is Senator Amidala," Came the response, just as a mini hologram of the Senator appeared before them.

Leia's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Padmé? What are you doing out here?" Anakin was quick to interrupt, pushing Leia to the side as he came to stand in front of the hologram.

"I was sent on a special mission. The senate was told the banking clan wanted to negotiate a treaty."

More like the Senate wanted her to meet an early doom, but who was Leia to judge.

"Get out of there as fast as you can," Anakin said.

There was another voice on Padme's end which sounded suspiciously like a droid.

"Have we been hit?" It asked in its bland-monotone voice.

"I'm afraid it's much worse than that," Padmé replied absent-mindedly to whoever was the droid by her side.  
"Padmé, what's happening?" Anakin was quick to ask.

"I'm being pulled inside the droid cruiser by a tractor beam."

Oh wow, this was getting better and better, thought Leia, feeling pestered for some reason.

"I will not be made a separatist bargaining chip. Continue your attack. You must destroy this monstrous ship!" Padme pleaded, just as the hologram disappeared.

Leia felt like rolling her eyes at the sacrificial bravado the Senator was willing to pull but stopped herself. Leia knew her faults, but she was never this cynical unless something was bothering her.

Anakin clenched his fist as he seemed to battle over something inside of himself for a moment until finally coming to a decision.

"Admiral, order our ships to stop firing," Anakin ordered.

No one objected. Obi-Wan did that thing, where he stroked his beard in a thoughtful manner, which still freaked Leia out because in moments like these she was reminded that Obi-Wan was still very much Ben Kenobi.

Leia looked away, towards the view of The Malevolence, as she thought over the Senator's words. It was clear that getting the Senator here was a ploy to get the Jedi to stop their attack, yet someone from the inside had fed the Senator the false information. Someone they trusted, that had quick access to the Senate. Leia had thought that it might be the case, but it still meant she needed to be careful. As far as she knew the Senator herself could be the informant. Ability to play both sides was not something Leia could put past her.

"Where do you think you're going?" Obi-Wan asked.

Leia turned back to look at them to only see Anakin walking to the exit in a manner that told her he had a purpose.

"Somebody has to save her skin," Anakin replied like it was obvious, though, in a teasing tone, that had a slight edge to it.

Leia sighed deeply as she felt herself getting annoyed for some reason again. The senator...irked her. And Leia had to know why.

"I thought you might say that," said Obi-Wan as he made a move to follow Anakin.

Leia shook her head, not believing she was actually volunteering for this.

"Wait, I'm coming with!" she shouted, then ran to catch up with them.

oOo

"Are you sure you want to come Leia?" Obi-Wan asked as they boarded the Twilight.

"Certain," Leia replied crisply. Though she had to admit to herself that she was already regretting that decision. Obi-Wan's presence still baffled her, but at the same time she'll have to get used to him sometime, might as well start now. Right?

"Obi-Wan is right Leia, you should stay here," Anakin told her, as he sat in the pilot's seat and punched over the controls.

Leia scowled at him, "What happened to Padawan's always stay by their Master's side? Besides, it's my choice. If I want to kick some Separatist ass, I might as well be allowed to." With that, she strapped herself to the side bench, since Obi-Wan already occupied the co-pilot's seat.

"As you wish," Anakin said through gritted teeth. Leia was sure he was willing to only let it go because of Obi-Wan. Apparently, Anakin didn't want to seem like he was unable to control his own Padawan in front of his former Master. Whatever, as long as Leia got her way she did not care.

"I trust you've already formulated a brilliant plan to rescue the Senator," Obi-Wan said.

"As a matter of fact, I have." Anakin boasted confidently.

"But do we have a plan "B"? Every operation needs a backup, Anakin." Obi-Wan lectured.

"I don't have a backup, yet, but I do have a plan for getting on that ship."

"Really?" Drawled out Obi-Wan.  
"The enemy sensors are obviously damaged, so we'll sneak in behind them and dock at the emergency airlock."

At that moment Leia's hope for her Master plummeted. Forget it. Clearly, Obi-Wan had lied to Luke when he told him Anakin was a cunning warrior. More like he was the luckiest guy in the galaxy for surviving this long with plans like these.

"That's your plan? Just fly there, land, hope they don't spot us and walk in the door?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Basically," Anakin admitted straight-out.

"Oh, brilliant. Let's get going."

See what Leia was talking about? And she had wondered how Ben had thought bringing his nine-year-old Padawan and a smuggler to rescue Leia in a highly protected military ship was a great idea. At that time she had thought it was his age. Now, she could see it was all Anakin.

Leia felt like getting up and leaving. Or banging her head on the nearest wall. Both seemed like appropriate responses regarding the situation.

"I'm surrounded by idiots." Leia murmured under her breath.

"What was that?" Anakin asked as they took off.

"Nothing," Leia said in a sing-song voice.

Nerfherders.

"So how had you been, Leia?" Obi-Wan wondered as they flew in the direction of the Malevolence.

Leia stared at his turned back, not at all impressed by his attempt at small talk. She knew he was well-aware of her constantly avoiding him, even if he had no clue about the real reason behind it.

"Good, all things considered,"

"Really? And I thought you'd have some troubles, considering you didn't want to be a Padawan."

Leia glared at Obi-Wan's back, just as Anakin glanced at her.

"What?"

Leia shrugged, grimacing, "I didn't want to become a Jedi."

She told the council that, making it sound like she didn't want to be one because of their extinction. She made it obvious that in the future anyone having any association with the Jedi were hunted and executed. They had been deeply disturbed by the news but had done their best not to show that to Leia.

Leia never gave away that instead, she simply didn't agree with their ways. Their ideology being nothing but out-dated and useless.

"What changed?" Anakin asked.

Leia smiled bitterly, "I remembered a friend who used to be amazed by space-wizards."

Of course, she meant Luke. It had been his dream. And being trained under his father? Leia could only imagine how happy he would have been in her place.

"Space-wizards," Anakin repeated, sounding amused.

"Yes, space-wizards." She confirmed bluntly. Of course, if Obi-Wan had heard Luke call them that now, he would have smacked him over the head. And by the look this time's Obi-Wan gave her, he wasn't much impressed either.

They got closer to the Malevolence, as Leia could now not only spot the flames, but also the smoke. It was a miracle the ship was still functional under this much damage.

"If they spot us, we'll be pulverized," Obi-Wan said drily.

"They're too busy repairing the ship. They don't have time to notice us." Anakin argued.

"Subtlety has never been one of your strong points, Anakin."

Neither was it Luke's. Like father like son, she guessed.

"Everything I know I learned from you, Master."

Leia sincerely doubted that.

"Oh, if only that were true," Obi-Wan said bemused.

The ship leaned to the side, as Anakin attached them to the emergency air-lock.

Leia did not have a good feeling about this. Like, at all.

"Come on, let's get going." Anakin urged them as he got up from his seat and headed for the exit.

"One of these days, he's gonna get us killed," Obi-Wan said, getting up at a slower pace.

Leia raised an incredulous eyebrow at him, "And who trained him that way?

She rolled her eyes at Obi-Wan's seemingly offended look, then followed her Master out of the ship.

They were in an air-went of some kind. What Leia hated most were the crammed, brown metal walls surrounding her, making her feel trapped. She hated that feeling.

They got into the thin elevator, barely fitting them all, including R2, who she hadn't noticed until now. Yet she talked about always being at her Master's side when R2D2 already had her beat at that.

More bulk metal walls, as they went up then stopped at a circulated room. It had the same walls and was lit by yellow lighting, which annoyed Leia's eyes. There was a door in the middle.

"...Anakin, you're crazy. Spinning is not flying."

Leia rolled her eyes at their continuous banter, which she did her best to tune out but kept failing.

"But it's a good trick."

Leia groaned at Anakin's response, which sounded like an inside joke of sorts, unable to take it any more.

"Would you two stop? You both sound ridiculous. And might I remind you we're on a mission?"

"Well, of course, princess. "Anakin said as he opened the door, "After you."

The door slid opened, only to reveal two battle droids.

"I knew it! It's them!" Said one of them.

"Oh, no." Said another one, as they both backed away.

Frustrated beyond belief, Leia did as she felt like. She charged at them.

Lightsaber in hand, she moved, lighting it up as she cut through one of them, then whirled around, slicing through the other one.

Sensing no other threats, he dislodged her lightsaber, strapping it back to her side.

"Good job Leia," Anakin praised, at which she glared because he still had that teasing note in his voice.

Obi-Wan and Anakin moved, walking through the open door, towards Leia.

"You and R2 stay here," Ankin told her.

Leia's mouth fell open in disbelief, "What?"

"Do as I say," Anakin commanded, suddenly serious.

Leaving it at that, both, former Master and Padawan, sprinted down the hallway, deeper into the passages of the ship.

Leia whirled around to look down at R2.

"Can you believe him?"

The astromech droid chirped out a response which, to her, sounded suspiciously sarcastic.

Leia huffed, glaring at the droid, then with nothing left to do, slid down the wall, ending up sitting on the floor.

"Unbelievable." She mumbled.

oOo

Leia was bored. They had been sitting there for what seemed like hours and Leia was ready to get out of there.

"I don't get why I bothered coming here." She said out loud, more to herself than R2.

R2 beeped a response, which Leia ignored.

"You know I can't understand you, right?"

Another beep, which now sounded rude.

"Hey, it's not my fault you can only communicate in sounds." She snapped then fell quiet for a moment, deciding she was the one currently being rude. She thought of a way to explain her feelings better, even if it was to a droid.

"You know, you actually weren't the most annoying droid. I lied. I didn't meet you and C3PO until I got rescued and then sent away. Before you, I actually had another droid. Her name was WA-2V."

Silence. Maybe droids could be stunned into silence too. Leia knew she was being careless. Even though she couldn't understand R2, he understood her. But she felt so tired of lying and pretending.

"She was my personal assistant droid. She always liked to dress me in fancy clothes and do my hair in fancy ways and even I couldn't tell her off. Though I knew it was her programming that demanded it, I still hated it. I always found ways to run away and hide from her. And one day... She didn't find me. I got worried since I wasn't hiding anymore and she still wasn't there. After a few days, she turned up and everything was fine again. Until she tricked me in separating me from my parents and I got taken away. From then nothing ever was fine again." Leia finished.

That was it. The whole secret to why she disliked droids. She had been seven and so, so very scared.

Leia chuckled humourlessly. "And now every time I'm around a droid I keep thinking they're out to get me. It's different with people, you can tell when they lie and when they're not being themselves. But with droids, it's near impossible."

Leia shook her head, now looking at R2 earnestly. "That's why I keep being mean to you, even though I know I shouldn't. And I did trust you once, even though you don't remember, because it hasn't happened yet. And Luke...Luke would be mad if he saw us now. He really adored you, you know. Or will adore."

R2 whirled closer to her, chirping sadly.

Leia smiled, raising her had to touch his dome. "I know, I'm sorry too."

The comm on her wrist beeped, interrupting the moment.

"Master?" She asked raising it to her mouth while activating the signal.

"Leia, I need you and R2 help me find the Senator's droid. He's on the rail jet." Anakin told them. Leia's eyebrows shot up.

"A droid?" She repeated disbelievingly.

R2 whistled out his own question.

"Yes, he is," Anakin answered R2, completely ignoring Leia's obvious disbelief.

Another set of beeps from R2.

"Yeah, I know."

Another set of buzzes followed by a whine.

"I know. He does. Look, just help me find him. Leia will help you."

With that, he disconnected.

Leia, help R2? Was her Master for real?

"No offense R2, but this mission is beyond ridiculous."

R2 chirped out what sounded like an agreement of sorts then went to work, plugging himself in the nearest computerhub.

"Did you find him?" Leia asked impatiently after a moment.

R2 whistled in a high pitch, which Leia took as a yes.

"Good, let's get going then." She said, standing up and moving to follow R2.

"Oh and R2, could you please not mention anything to my Master? You can't complain to Anakin that I seem to have something against you anymore, either. And I really don't want to be forced to wipe out your memory." She threatened.

Another high pitched whistle which ended on a high-note. Leia understood it as an agreement and sighed in relief.

"Thanks, R2, hope we can be friends then." At least that was done. And R2 really had whined to Anakin, after she was forced to shut him off at the Twilight, which Leia thought was really low of him, yet so much like the R2D2 she knew.

They set off to find the lost droid then, that the Senator had seemingly... misplaced. It seemed beyond stupid to Leia. What droid could be so important that she needed to risk her own safety for it? Though risking herself might have been pushing it as the path that R2 lead her trough was completely empty, besides a few flickering lights and loose wires. The whole ship was dodgy due to its damage and Leia felt nervous while approaching a path that was completely enveloped in darkness.

Nonetheless, she followed R2, until there was movement further away, as something gold flickered in Leia's vision.

"I do believe I'm lost in enemy territory and all alone." The droid in the distance moaned to himself.

Leia couldn't help but think that she knew that voice, or more accurately that manner of speaking, which was absurd.

R2 rolled towards it confidently, turning on it's flash-light.

The droid whirled around.

"Don't shoot! I surrender!" It shouted panicked whit its metal arms raised. Leia's mouth fell open as she took in the golden protocol droid.

R2 turned off it's flash-light and rolled towards the droid, while Leia was left standing still in her shock, rooted to the spot.

"R2-D2, oh my, you are a sight for short circuits."

Leia would have known that droid and its manner of speaking anywhere.

"Threepio?!" The name spilled out before she could stop herself.

"Oh, pardon me miss, but I'm not sure we're acquainted. I'm protocol droid C3PO. And this is my counterpart R2-D2." Threepio said while motioning at R2.

"I know who he is!" Leia burst out, annoyed.

No no no, why was he here? She already had R2 to deal with, how come C3PO was here as well?

It made no sense, from all the droids in the galaxy, how come she managed to come across the both of them?

R2 swirled his dome, beeping.

"Master Anakin sent you two to find me? What kept you then?" Threepio said in answer to R2, as Leia tried to regain her composure.

You would think that being in fifteen years in the past, would mean you weren't constantly coming across familiar faces, but from the moment Leia came here, she had been experiencing the complete opposite.

R2 whirled away, deeper into the passage, and C3PO followed him, along with Leia who was too numb to do anything else but the same.

What else was the Force on the verge of dumping on her next?

Deciding these were the thoughts better left for later, she pushed them all away. It did not matter now. What mattered now was getting out of here. Only then she could allow herself to figure out how on earth C3PO came into the Senator's possession in the first place, as well as why R2 and Threepio seemed so familiar whit each other even in this time-line.

There were simply too many things that didn't add up. That were too much of a coincidence.

Frustrated, Leia tried to contact Anakin through the comm-link.

"Kriff it, they're jamming us." Leia cursed out-loud.

Both C3PO and R2 stopped.

"That is not a very nice word for a young lady to use," Threepio said. Yeah, that was him all right.

"Guess what, Threepio, I don't care." She snapped, then shook her head, trying to clear it, "Let's just go." Leia said as they continued down a path that hopefully lead back to the Twilight.

"R2, are you quite certain the ship is in this direction? This way looks potentially dangerous." Threepio questioned.

It did look dangerous, whit it's dim lighting and damaged wires that kept zapping electricity.

R2 beeped.

"I know the whole place is dangerous! I suggest we stay here and let master Anakin find us." Threepio said stopping in place and refusing to move.

Before Leia could open her mouth to say something especially not nice, the doors to her right lifted open, revealing Anakin. Beside him, was a young woman dressed for combat. Leia recognized her as the Senator they have come to rescue in the first place.

"Leia, what are you doing? Don't just stand there. Let's go back to the ship" Said her Master, as they all hurried in the direction of the Twilight.

"ME? It's that stupid droid, that refused to go without you." Leia objected, losing her temper.

Something war irking her, even more so now than before. Her senses sending her mixed signals which she did her best at pushing away. It was like the Force was trying to tell her something, but she was refusing to listen.

They stopped in front of the door, which they had come through before, it leading back to the ship.

The door slid open as Anakin activated the control on the wall beside it.

"Power up the engines, R2." Anakin requested as they got into the elevator.

"Hold the ship!"

Leia turned, only to see Obi-Wan sprinting towards them whit his lit lightsaber in hand while being chased by a bunch of those rolling droids that Leia hated. They were shooting at him and he did his best with dodging the attacks with his lightsaber while having his back turned to them.

Anakin forced pushed near-bye boxes, blocking the blasts raining their way just as Obi-Wan got inside the elevator and the doors slid shut.

Leia cracked her knuckles nervously as they got inside the ship, feeling eyes that kept glancing at her. She did her best at ignoring them as she once again strapped herself to the side bench while Anakin and Obi-Wan once again took the pilot's and co-pilot's seats.

"I'll contact the fleet," Obi-Wan said.

"R2, release the docking clamp," Anakin instructed while punching over the controls to get the ship going.

The Senator, who had positioned herself next to Anakin, while resting her arm on the seat's headrest, once again glanced at Leia.

Feeling annoyed Leia glared at her.

Just as her eyes connected with the Senator's, an image flashed in Leia's vision. Instantly, Leia dropped her gaze, grimacing, while blinking rapidly, pushing it away.

_Not now._

Whit the ship on the move, Leia did her best whit keeping her head down and eyes closed while struggling within herself.

From the moment she got stuck here, fifteen years in the past, she kept getting visions or images in some way almost always connected to her. Leia took it as a side effect since she was from the future, hence a huge part of the current past lived inside of her. So things that would others consider future were past to her and were much clearer to her than they could ever be for any other Jedi.

That's why her future wasn't clouded, as master Yoda had once explained, but not clear either. Instead, it was limitless. She was like a key to every door that was locked or unlocked and it was her choice which doors to open and which to shut. Just like it was her choice to see what hid behind them.

But they were confusing. Whenever Leia got these visions they were blurry, like something was blocking her way.

Only after meeting Ahoska Leia finally understood what it was.

How could she see things that came before her, that created her, when she didn't know who she was in the first place?

Yes, she was a key. A key with no real path or purposes, stuck between endless doors, unable to decide which to open and which to leave closed.

Because if she opened them all, madness would consume her.

She was like a smuggler without a ship. With her cargo lost on a star, she couldn't recall the name of.

If only she had Luke. He would have known how to make sense of it all. He would have been that true part of herself she could have hold onto.

The ship shook, as a blast hit them and Leia was forcefully pulled from her mind.

"Time for some clever tricks, Anakin," Obi-Wan said.

"That's what I was thinking," Anakin said smartly.

Another bang as the ship shook.

"You know we have guns. You can shoot back anytime." Anakin told Obi-Wan.

"I was just about to..."

"I got it." The Senator said, interrupting Obi-Wan.

Leia watched as the Senator took control of the cockpit periscope, managing the rotating cannon.

"She seems to know her way around," Obi-Wan commented drily.

Leia frowned then once again grimaced as another vision tried to reach her.

"Nice shot, Senator." Obi-Wan complimented.

Clearing her head, Leia released the straps that trapped her to the bench.

"Beginner's luck." The senator said bashfully.

_Leia knew that voice. _

Leia flinched in pain as another flash tried to reach her but she once again blocked it. Leia fell on her knees doing her best not to cry out.

_Keep it in._

Steadying her breathing Leia blinked, successfully regaining her composure, as she wheeled the last of the rails back in.

"Leia?" She heard her Master's worried voice.

"I'm fine, just got a little light-headed there for a moment." She assured him, standing up.

What was it? What had she missed?

"Pardon me sir, but Artoo's scan of the enemy's ship indicates their hyperdrive is activating.

"Don't worry about it," Anakin said smugly.

"What?" Obi-Wan questioned having seemingly missed the point.

Leia wondered what Anakin had managed to pull without Obi-Wan knowing about it first.

Artoo let out another set of hurried whistles.

"Oh my, according to Artoo seems like the enemy's ship is headed right into the moon," Threepio said.

Leia's eyebrows shot up at that and she walked to viewpoint, stopping to stand behind Obi-Wan in the co-pilot's seat since the Senator was once again standing behind Anakin's.

Leia's mouth fell open in astonishment as she watched the Malevolence head straight for the surface of the glowing grey moon at a hyper-drive and crash into it, exploding into a brilliant sphere of light.

"I imagine you had something to do with that?" Obi-Wan asked Anakin knowingly.

"All part of the plan, Master," Anakin answered smugly with his usual good-natured confidence.

Threepio said something unimportant and Leia turned to glare at it. That reminded her.

"Where is that droid from?" She asked.

All three sets of turn to look at Leia in confusion.

"What?" Anakin asked.

"No, I mean where did you get it from?" Leia asked, directing her question at the Senator. The Senator's eyebrows rose and she glanced at Anakin in her bewilderment then at Leia while opening her mouth then closing it again, seemingly at a loss for words.

"I don't see how that's important princess, Threepio is a trusted protocol droid, I assure you. " Anakin said impatiently.

Leia shook her head forcefully, "No, that's not it. They're a pair. If Artoo belongs to you and Threepio belongs to the Senator than why...how..." She trailed off then huffed, frustrated, as she lifted her hand to rub her forehead.

If Artoo was Anakin's, to begin with, and Threepio was the Senator's, then how they ended up with her father, to begin with? And she had no idea that they knew each other from before that, they couldn't have. Threepio would have said something for sure.

"Leia?" She opened her eyes and turned to see Obi-Wan staring at her intently."If it's another vision, you shouldn't force it. Master Yoda was specific about that."

"I know," Leia said, momentarily forgetting that it wasn't her Obi-Wan she was speaking to. "But it's important. I know it is."

Obi-Wan nodded, "I'm sure it is. But you have to trust the Force that it will reveal itself to you eventually."

Leia nodded.

"Now let's go," Obi-Wan said as they landed back at the cruiser.

They exited the shuttle. Leia continuing to sneak glances at Artoo and Threepio who were moving next to each other in the same manner Leia always remembered them.

How did they know each other? How was it all connected?

She stopped beside Anakin who was exchanging small pleasantries with the Senator, Obi-Wan not far behind them as Plo-Koon and Ahsoka came to greet them.

"I'm certain I didn't have a chance to be introduced to your new padawan properly, Master Skywalker." The Senator said and Leia turned to look at her in surprise.

The Senator smiled extending her hand to Leia. "I'm Padmé."

A very casual introduction for a senator, Leia noted.

Nonetheless, Leia returned the smile, reaching to shake her hand, which, again, was not at all appropriate for a formal greeting.

"Leia." She said and since the senator had presented the perfect opportunity herself, Leia couldn't help but take it.

Staring at Padmé's deeply warm brown eyes, while grasping her hand in hers, Leia reached out with the Force.

That turned out to be a mistake.

Familiar feelings, memories, instantly bombarded Leia like a dream. Where there was a wall before, that wall was now broken with a force that sent Leia spinning.

_Brown eyes, a huge smile on her tired, yet beautiful, tear-stained face. The feelings of love and sadness wrapping around Leia like a bittersweet blanket. "Leia." The woman said, full of love and kindness. Her mother._

Leia gasped, stumbling away.

She stared, horrified at the woman before her, the woman from her dreams. Her mother.  
"It's _you." _She bit out the words like an accusation filled with longing.

How could she have not recognized the woman she had described to Luke not so long ago. The one that came to visit her in her dreams?

The one that had given Leia her name and now had a name of her own. Padmé Amidala.

It was all too much for Leia. She backed away, ignoring the questioning look Anakin sent her way and all the other eyes that had turned to gawk at her.

No, all she could see were the perplexed eyes of her mother that stared at her with polite concern and confusion of a stranger.

Eyes that held no recognition because their owner had no idea who Leia was.

Leia shook her head, barely holding the tears away, as she forcefully whirled herself around and broke into a run.

She wasn't sure where she was going, only that she had to get away.

Leia was a quick runner, it was something she enjoyed. The only thing she regretted now was that she was on a cruiser now instead of the sole of some planet where she could actually put some distance from her and the people who had hurt her.

But there was no escape as such in a cruiser full of clone troopers who stared at her in bewilderment as she sprinted past them.

She quickly found herself in the sleeping quarters that were luckily empty as she slammed the door shut behind her. She thought about barring the door with some object before deciding against it and sliding down, her back resting against it, instead. If anyone wanted to come in, they would have to go through the mass of emotion that currently was her.

And she wept.

She cried for her parents that didn't know her. For the death of her birth mother she never got the chance to know. For finding her now, amidst this chaos. But most of all she cried for the woman that had looked at her as if she was a stranger just moments before.

Even the name Leia was not hers to claim anymore.

Who was she in the midst of this chaos? A ghost no one knew or wanted? A lost girl that hadn't yet been born as she had yet to be given the name she called herself?

Was she a prisoner of the Force? With no way to go back and no way to stay here without being anything but a mare shadow of a memory. A memory that yet had to be made.

There was knock on the door that Leia barely heard trough her hiccups.

"Princess, open up, it's me ." Her Master's voice rang behind the door. Leia ignored him, too wrapped up in her own misery.

"Go away!" She shouted like a petulant child.

"Princess, if you don't open the door I'll have to break the door open, or do you want me to call Obi-Wan or Master Plo?"

"No!" She shouted, too embarrassed at the idea of having to face them too. So she stood up and moved away from the door as it slid open.

It took Anakin one look at her tear strained-face for him to reach out and envelope her in a hug.

That only made Leia feel worse and another row of sobs erupted out of her before she could stop them.

"Leia...what is it, princess?" Anakin asked her.

She was unable to answer him, only clutching him tighter as she continued to let all her built-up sorrows out.

After some time, when her cries had turned into soft sniffles and Leia's head had somehow ended up on Anakin's shoulder as she sat sprayed over his lap, she heard the door open as someone walked in.

She didn't look up, keeping her eyes firmly closed as she let the pattern of her Master's breathing soothe her. She felt safe in his arms and she didn't quite want to give up that feeling yet.

"Is she okay?" It was Obi-Wan.

"I'm not sure," Anakin answered, as Leia felt him glance at her. She didn't move, refusing to open her eyes as she gave no indication that she even heard them.

"I was afraid of that. Do you know what happened?"

Leia felt Anakin shake his head. "You saw as much as I did. She was fine until she started talking to Padmé when..." He trailed off. "Do you think she had a vision?"

Leia thought it was odd for Anakin to ask that and she didn't like the unease she heard in his voice regarding... her mother. Wait, was it that what she was calling the Senator now? She suddenly felt a new wave of tears coming back and she did her best to hold them off.

"I suppose that's possible," Oni-Wan said.

Anakin stayed silent at that.

Obi-Wan sighed, "I just wish you would have found a more appropriate way for a Jedi to let out your emotions, Leia."

Leia chuckled darkly in her mind. Did he say a Jedi? What, she couldn't even cry anymore? What did he propose she should have done? Meditate? He should know she was awful that. Or did he prefer her to do it the Sith way? For her to find something to destroy or torture?

She supposed she ought to have apologized to him for not acting more like a youngling, but a mere human child.

She suddenly felt sick of it all.

"I want to go home," she said tiredly, her voice void of any emotion.

Both Jedi turned to look at her in surprise.

"Leia?" Anakin asked, but she ignored him, raising her head to look at Obi-Wan, instead.

"I want to go home." She repeated. It had come as a surprise to her too. After all, everyone she knew or cared about were dead in her time. But what she had failed to realize earlier was that even if she was alone there, it was so much worse here, because she could never truly belong here.

Obi-Wan shook his head, exasperated. "You know that's not possible Leia."

"How would you know?" She asked, moving away from Anakin as she stood up, too embarrassed by her previous display of emotion to look at him." You didn't even try. I don't belong here."

"The Force brought you here for a reason." Obi-Wan insisted.

Leia shook her head. "No, it didn't. I'm here because I was foolish enough to think I could save him, that I could bring him back, but time doesn't work like that."

She should have realized that sooner. But she was too blind, too desperate in her attempt to save him.

"Leia..." Obi-Wan started to say, but she cut him off.

"Stop saying that name as if you know the person behind it."

Leia, Leia, Leia. That wasn't someone she could claim to be here, either. Not only had she lost the name Organa, but her first name her yet to be given by her mother's dying breath.

"Don't be absurd."

"But it's true! You can't even deny it. You don't even know my full name."

"Because you never told us and we agreed..."

"We agreed on nothing! Because you are not the same. Don't you understand?" She burst out, exasperated, then quietly added, "The Obi-Wan Kenobi I used to know would have known better. And you are not him."

Obi-Wan had seemingly heard the last part, visibly paling as he caught onto the true meaning hidden behind her careless admission.

"What does she mean by that?" Anakin was quick to ask.

"You told us that it's far in the future," Obi-Wan said carefully, ignoring Anakin's agitated look.

Leia scoffed bemused, "I never said such a thing, you simply assumed."

"When?" Obi-Wan bit out, he's eyes fleeting, for the first time unsure.

He was afraid, Leia realized. Just like all the rest of the Council members were, of the possibility of their end.

Leia raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it obvious?"

At Obi-Wan's pleading look she sighed.

"We're at war." She said simply as if it were obvious.

Silence. Obi-Wan stared at her, the despair and fear clear behind his gaze as she stared back, unflinching. How were they unable to see it? Their arrogance would be their doom.

"Master?" Anakin said.

Obi-Wan blinked, turning to stare at Anakin who had at some point come to stand beside Leia, though she couldn't quite face him yet.

"Right," Obi-Wan said, visibly regaining his composure. "Leia, go find Master Plo-Koon and Ahsoka, you are to go back to the Temple with them."

Leia nodded, too wrapped up in her rising anger to bother with an answer of any other kind. She had said enough already.

Before she could make it through the door, however, Obi-Wan's next words stopped her.

"And it's not a punishment Leia. However, I would advise you to be ready for an explanation you're going to give to the Council."

Right, the Council. As if she could forget.

Controlling the anger that for the first time she had found to be directed at this time's Obi-Wan, she turned to look back at him.

"Yes, Master."

With that, she left.

**oOo**

**So, um, that's how it goes. **

**So sorry I haven't updated in a while. Just...stuff, I guess. And I've actually previously turned the second half of the chapter the whole other way before deciding against it and deleting then rewriting a huge chunk of it. **

**I'm kinda unsure if this is how I wanted it done since I had imagined the end of the chapter in a completely different way, but it feels right. So tell me what you think. Please?**

**Also, to get back into writing the story I had edited all the previous chapters. Nothing too major. However, I did change the story in a way, that made it clear that Leia is, in fact, not sure if Anakin is Vader at all. I've simply realized that if Leia knew for sure that Anakin was Vader she wouldn't have been able to even stay in the same room as him. Much less look up to him for guidance. **

**Anyway, tell me what you think, it helps a lot. I really hope I managed to stay true to all the characters and your advice/thoughts would be appreciated.**

**I don't know when I'm gonna be able to update next, I'm not willing to promise anything, but hopefully, it's soon.**

**Don't forget to Review, as they keep the story going. **

**Till next time and may the Force be with you.**


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